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HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE 


N    (X)MMEM  >iy.riOJS    OK     IIIK 


ONE    HUNDREDTH     ANNI\  KHSAHY    ! 


b'    THE    Ff<;.,.IAT[ON    OF   'I!1E 


FIRST  CONGR..U.  40NAL  CHoIlOB   IN   TEMVLETOi^, 


"S'VOHDSETrS- 


lii|j  ^n.   pgcuik. 


EMBRACINr,       s,      STIKVKY     OK     THE'    iVili..:  \      AFFAIRS     OF        'T'l;      TOWN. 


EPWIN      \    ADAM8, 


■'lOR  PA;...Oit. 


BOSTON: 

CROSBY,   NICHOLS,   AND   COMPANY, 

111,  Washington  Stebet. 

i&:)7. 


I    I 


"JUS! 


UNIVERSITY  OF  MASSACHUSETTS 
LIBRARY 


F 

74 
T27A2 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE 


IN    COMMEMOKATION    OK    TIIJ 


ONE    HUNDEEDTH   ANNIYERSARY 


OF   THE   FORMATION    OF   THE 


FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH  IN  TEMPLETON, 


MASSACHUSETTS. 


EMBRACING     A     SURVEY     OF     THE     MUNICIPAL     AFFAIRS     OF     THE     TOWN. 


EDWIN    G.    ADAMS, 


JUNIOR  PASTOR. 


BOSTON: 
CROSBY,  NICHOLS,  AND   COMPANY, 

111,  Washington  Street. 

1857. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

MASSACHUSETTS 

AMHE,«T,  MrtSS. 


BOSTON : 
'KINTE1>    BY   JOHX    WILSON    AND    SON, 

22,  School  Street. 


c 


PREFACE. 


As  it  seemed  desirable  to  make  some  commemoration  of 
so  interesting  an  event  as  the  completion  of  the  first  cen- 
tnry  of  the  existence  of  the  First  Church  of  Christ  in  this 
town,  the  junior  pastor,  on  Sunday,  Dec.  9,  1855,  the  day 
preceding  the  anniversary,  preached  a  Discourse,  continued 
through  both  parts  of  the  day,  containing  an  historical 
sketch  of  the  early  settlement  of  the  town  and  of  the 
annals  of  the  church.  Rev.  Dr.  Wellington,  the  senior 
pastor,  took  part  in  the  services,  morning  and  afternoon,  — 
reading  the  Scriptures  and  hymns,  and  offering  prayers. 

Soon  after  the  delivery  of  the  Discourse,  a  request  was 
made  to  have  it  printed  ;  and  arrangements  were  made 
for  that  purpose.  But,  before  they  were  carried  into  exe- 
cution, the  desire  was  expressed,  from  many  sources,  that 
the  writer  should  proceed  to  make  some  account  also 
of  the  municipal  affairs  of  the  town  since  its  incorpora- 
tion. He  assented  to  this  in  part,  though  not  expecting, 
at  first,  to  enter  into  so  much  detail  as  is  done  in  the 
Appendix.  The  printing  of  the  sermon  has  accordingly 
been  delayed,  in  order  that  the  whole  might  appear  to- 
gether. The  amount  of  time  and  investigation  requisite 
to   make    and   verify   a   sketch    of    the   affairs    of   a   town 


•  iv  PREFACE. 

and  society,  extending  through  a  period  of  a  hundred 
years,  can  be  appreciated  only  by  those  who  have  per- 
formed similar  labors.  Often  a  brief  statement,  occupying 
perhaps  but  a  line,  especially  when  it  involves  the  asser- 
tion of  a  negative,  is  the  result  of  hours  and  days  of 
research  among  records  sometimes  not  very  legible.  It 
has  been  the  author's  aim  to  make  the  survey  contained 
in  the  following  pages  include  a  correct  account  of  all 
the  important  votes  and  doings  recorded  on  the  various 
subjects  named.  For  this  purpose,  he  has  carefully  ex- 
amined all  the  warrants  ever  issued  for  meetings  of  the 
inhabitants,  of  this  town,  and  for  meetings  of  the  ancient 
proprietors  and  of  the  parish,  with  the  votes  passed,  and 
action  taken  under  each  of  them.  In  the  Discourse,  some 
passages  omitted  in  the  delivery,  for  want  of  time,  are 
now  inserted  ;  and  several  additions  have  been  made,  con- 
sisting chiefly  of  historical  details.  A  few  items,  originally 
in  the  Discourse,  have  been  placed  in  the  Appendix. 

The  information  respecting  the  value  of  land  in  the 
township  in  the  early  times  was  obtained  mainly  through 
the  courtesy  of  Daniel  Ward,  Esq.,  the  examiner  of  titles 
in  the  Registry  of  Deeds  at  Worcester.  Assistance  in 
ascertaining  various  other  facts  has  also  been  aiforded  by 
Rev.  John  L.  Sibley,  Librarian  of  Harvard  College  ; 
by  Rev.  Dr.  Wellington  ;   and  by  others. 


^ 


CONTENTS. 


HISTORICAL  DISCOURSE 


APPENDIX 

Note  A.  —  Grant  of  the  Township   .... 
Note  B.  —  Forty-acre  House-lots      .... 

Note  C.  —  Mine  Hill 

Note  D.  —  Sermon  at  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk's  Ordination 

Note  E.  —  Change  of  Prices 

Note  E.  —  Result  of  ^ouncil 


Note  G.  —  Religious  Societies 

Names  of  Proprietors  of  the  Township  in  1735 
Original  Division  of  Lands  in  the  Township  . 
Value  of  Land  in  the  Early  Times 

Saw-mill  and  Grist-mill 

Roads 

Proceedings  for  the  Settlement  of  Rev.  Mr.  Pond 
Entertainment  of  Guests  at  Rev.  Mr.  Pond's  Ordination 
Copy   of  the   Warrant  and    Proceedings    of  the   Meetings 

FOR  Rev.  Mr.  Pond's  Dismission  .... 
Ground-plan  of  the  First  Meeting-house 
Plan  of  the  Galleries  in  the  First  Meeting-house 
Inscription  on  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk's  Gravestone  . 
Burying-places.  —  Public  Common  .... 
Copy  op  the  Act  of  Incorporation  of  the  Town  . 
Taxes  granted  by  the  Proprietors  .... 
Taxes  in  1763       ....,,,. 


PAGE. 

1 

75 

78 

79 

80 

81 

83 

86 

89 

91 

95 

97 

100 

102 

101 

106 
108 
109 
112 
113 
114 
115 
116 


vi  CONTENTS. 

APPENDIX,  continued. 

PAGE. 

Sums  granted  by  the  Town,  each  Year  since  its  Incorpora- 
tion, FOR  Highways,  for  Schools,  and  for  Town-charges, 

including  Special  Grants 117 

Selectmen 1-0 

Town  Clerks  and  Town  Tkeasureks  from  the  Beginning  to 

THE  Present  Time  .         .         .         •         •         .         •         .127 

Representatives  to  the  General  Court   .         .         .         .         .129 

Constitutional  Conventions 133 

Votes  for  Governor  from  1780  to  1856    .         .         .         .         .135 

Schools  and  Schoolhouses  .         .         .         .         .         .         .139 

Comparison  of  Statistics  of  the  Schools  .         .         .         .         .141 

School-land  and  Ministerial  Land 146 

Kesolves  in  Behalf  of  American  Freedom       .         .         .         .147 

Revolutionary  War     .         . 150 

Prices  in  the  Continental  Paper-money  .         .         .         .151 

Second  Precinct  in  Templeton,  and  Incorporation  of  Gerry, 

NOW  Phillipston 154 

Paupers 158 

Petition  to  the  Selectmen  .         .         .         .'       .         .         .161 

"Wolf  Act."  —  Bounties  for  Crows  and  Hawks     .         .         .     162 
Warning  Town-meetings     .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .163 

Town-houses  .         .         . .163 

Payment  of  Accounts  aGxUnst  the  Town  .         .         .         .         .164 

Treaty  with  Great  Britain 164 

Second  War  with  England 165 

Canal  and  Railroads 166 

County  Relations 168 

Jehu  Richardson  Fund  and  Masonic  Fund        .         .         .         .170 
Donation,  by  Dr.  Shattuck,  of  Shares  in  the  Boston  Athe- 

Nvt:um 172 

Population 173 

Valuation 174 

Manufactures  and  Productions 174 


HISTOEICAL   DISCOUKSE. 


HISTOEICAL    DISCOURSE. 


Ps.  xliv.  1,  and  Lsxriii.  4:    "We   h.vte  heaed  "^ith  ora  ears,  O  God  I 

OUR  FATHERS  HAVE  TOLD  VS,  WHAT  "^-ORK.  THOr  DIDST  IX  THEIR  DATS, 
TS  THE  TIMES  OF  OLD."  —  *'  We  ■WILL  XOT  HIDE  THEM  FROM  THEIR 
CHILDREN  ;  SHO"SVES-G  TO  THE  GENERATION  TO  COME  THE  PRAISES  OF  THE 
Lord,  and  his  strength,  and  his  "VN'ONDERFrL  'works  THAT  HE  HATH 
DONE." 

This  congregation  has  come  together  to-day  with 
memories  and  sacred  associations  filling  our  minds 
that  are  fitted  to  take  a  deep  hold  on  the  feelings. 
We  have  arrived,  as  you  know,  at  the  close  of  the 
first  century  of  the  existence  of  our  relictions  orsra- 
nizations.  It  is  a  hundred  years  since  the  first  per- 
manent establishment  was  made  of  gospel-institutions 
within  the  territory  of  this  town,  by  the  foimation 
of  this  church  of  Christ,  and  the  first  settlement  of  a 
minister  here.  Standing  now  at  the  point  of  such 
a  deeply  interesting  anniversary,  our  feelings  cannot 
but  be  in  harmony  with  the  sentiment  of  the  texts  just 
read.  How  could  we  properly  employ  our  thoughts 
in  the  house  of  God,  on  this  day,  except  by  looking 
backward  to  the  times  of  the  fathers,  —  to  theu'  noble 
struggles,  their  high  and  worthy  views  and  pm*poses, 


and  the  things  wrought  in  their  days;  by  looking 
also  upward  to  the  all-controlling  and  good  provi- 
dence of  God,  by  which  events  have  been  guided, 
and  his  people  blessed ;  and  looking  forward  to  the 
future  opening  upon  us,  with  its  new  privileges, 
duties,  and  hopes'? 

If  we  go  back  a  hundred  and  twenty-five  years,  we 
find  the  interior  parts  of  Massachusetts  then  almost 
wholly  unoccupied  by  human  beings.  Throughout 
the  more  hilly  portion  of  the  State,  between  the 
Wachusett  Ridge  and  the  meadows  of  the  Connecti- 
cut Eiver,  every  thing  remained  in  a  state  of  nature. 
It  was  all  one  vast  and  dense  forest,  majestic  in 
its  noble  growth  of  the  pine,  the  chestnut,  the 
oak,  and  many  other  native  trees.  Within  the  pro- 
found shades  dwelt  unmolested  the  wild  beasts ;  and 
the  wilderness  blossomed  in  beauty,  unhelped  by  the 
hand  of  man.  Even  the  native  tribes  of  Indians 
had  very  few  permanent  homes  within  the  region: 
they  ranged  over  this  part  of  the  country  for  hunt- 
ing and  fishing,  but  built  their  wigwams  in  the 
more  favorable  places  by  the  seaside  and  in 
the  rich  valleys. 

In  this  township,  it  is  not  known  that  there  were 
any  cultivated  grounds  or  permanent  habitations  of 
the  red  man.  There  was  really  no  Indian  title  to 
extinguish,  because  none  of  that  race  had  actually 
occupied  the  soil.  There  were  none  even  to  claim 
property  in  it.  Very  few  traces  of  so  much  as 
their  wandering  presence  here  have  ever  been  found. 
An  arrow-head   or   two  have  been   picked  up.      A 


stone-mortar  and  pestle  for  pounding  corn  was  once 
found  on  the  banks  of  Trout  Brook.  The  oldest 
traditions  of  the  town  indicate  no  signs  of  any 
aboriginal  dwelling-places,  with  a  single  exception, 
—  that  of  a  long-deserted  Indian  abode,  the  remains 
of  which  were  discovered,  in  early  times,  in  a  shel- 
tered spot  within  the  present  bounds  of  Phillipston. 

\  It  is  believed  that  no  traces  of  their  graves  have  ever 

f  been  seen  here. 

A  little  more  than  a  century  ago,  the  frontier 
towns  of  the  white  man  in  this  part  of  the  State 
were  Brookfield,  Lancaster,  and  Lunenburg;  and  then 
the  wilderness  was  unsettled  till  the  fertile  grounds 
along  the  Connecticut  Hiver  were  reached,  where 
were  the  towns  of  Northfield,  Deerfield,  and  Hadley. 
But  enterprising  men  from  the  more  eastern  section 
had  passed  over  the  country,  and  marked  its  advan- 
tages. There  were  many  disposed  to  avail  them- 
selves of  new  lands  for  settlement.  There  were 
sturdy  hearts  among  the  young  men,  glad  to  think 
of  planting  for  themselves  a  home  where  they  might 
bring  the  ones  they  loved,  and  where  they  could  cul- 
tivate broad  acres  to  call  their  own.  The  General 
Court  of  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  was  glad  to 
give  away  these  lands  in  the  hill-country  for  the 
sake  of  having  new  townships  opened.  Those  who 
had  done  service  in  King  Philip's  War,  as  it  was 
called,  against  the  JSTarraganset  tribe  of  Indians, 
having  made  claim  for  compensation,  the  General 
Court,  first  in  1728,  and  afterwards  in  1732,  granted 
several  townships,  each  of  six  miles  square,  for  those 


soldiers  and  their  heirs,  to  be  divided  into  lots  for 
a  hundred  and  twenty  proprietors  in  each  town- 
ship, who  were  to  apportion  to  each  other  their 
respective  shares.  The  law  also  enacted,  that  sixty 
families  should  be  settled  in  each  place,  with  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  within  seven  years  from  the 
date  of  the  grant ;  reserving  in  each  township  one 
right  of  lands  for  the  first  minister,  one  for  the 
support  of  the  ministry  in  coming  times,  and  one 
for  the  support  of  schools.*  Two  of  these  seven 
townships  were  finally  laid  out  here,  —  one  called 
Narraganset  No.  2,  which  is  now  the  town  of  "West- 
minster; the  other  called  Narraganset  No.  6,  which 
included  Templeton  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
present  town  of  Phillipston.  Township  No.  1  was 
in  Maine.  At  least  one  other  of  the  townships 
granted  at  this  time  is  said  to  have  been  also  in 
Maine ;  and  two  seem  to  have  been  laid  out  within 
the  present  bounds  of  New  Hampshire,  on  territory 
then  claimed  erroneously  by  Massachusetts.  It  is 
said  that  the  whole  body  of  claimants  under  the 
grant  for  Narraganset  soldiers  met  at  Boston,  on 
the  Common,  June,  1732,  and  lots  were  drawn  for  the 
respective  townships.  Our  proprietors  did  not  like 
their  first  location,  and  obtained  leave  to  change  it 
for  the  territory  here.  Not  far  from  the  same  time, 
grants  were  made  by  the  General  Court,  on  similar 
conditions,  —  chiefly  to  other  claimants  for  services 
against  the  Indians,  —  of  the  lands  in  the  present 

*  See  Appendix  A. 


townships  of  Athol,  Petersham,  Barre,  Winchendoii, 
Ashbiirnham,  and  Royalston.     Some  of  the  grantees 
came   here   in  person :    many  sold  their   rights   for 
small  sums.     But   there  was  not  much  progress  in 
settling   any  of  these   towns   for   fifteen  or   twenty 
years  at  least  after  those  grants  by  the  Legislature ; 
and,  in  some  cases,  the  time  was  extended  by  the 
General  Court,  within  which  the  proprietors  might 
fulfil  the    conditions  prescribed.     The  war  between 
France  and  England  had  involved  the  Colonies.     The 
French,  then   holding  possession  of  Canada,  encou- 
raged  the  Indians   in   the   northern   parts   of  New 
England  to  make  inroads  upon  the  scattered  frontier 
settlements  of  the  English,  —  burning   and   killing. 
In   such   times,  it  required  brave  men   and   strong- 
hearted  women  to  come  and  plant  themselves  in  the 
wilderness.     And  all  the  more  because  our  fathers 
were   led  through  such   a   severe  discipline  as  that 
by  which  they  were  here  tried,  in  many  particulars, 
did  they  learn  to   feel  the  presence  of  the   Divine 
Power  and  Goodness ;  learn  to  fear  God,  and  not  to 
fear  man. 

According  to  the  facts  now  stated,  it  came  to  pass, 
that,  throughout  this  whole  section  of  country,  it  is 
just  about  a  hundred  years  since  permanent  civil 
and  Christian  institutions  were  planted :  in  some 
towns  it  is  now  a  little  more;  in  others,  a  little 
less.  Till  a  sufiicient  number  of  inhabitants  could 
be  brought  in  to  form  a  town-organization  for  civil 
purposes,  it  was  a  necessity  that  the  affairs  of  the 
settlement    should   be   managed   by  the   proprietors 


who  held  the  grant  of  the  soil  in  the  respective 
townships.  The  number  of  rights  in  this  town  was 
a  hundred  and  twenty:  in  a  few  cases,  one  person 
held  two  or  more  rights.  The  owners  of  these  rights 
were  made  a  body  corporate  for  the  purpose  of 
managing  the  settlement.  They  had  legal  powers 
similar  to  inhabitants  of  towns.  They  could  lay 
taxes  for  establishing  roads  and  schools,  for  support- 
ing public  worship,  and  for  other  purposes.  These 
taxes  were  assessed  wholly  on  the  land,  and  not  on 
personal  property  nor  polls.  Previous  to  incorporation 
as  a  town,  all  proprietors  of  the  township,  wherever  they 
might  reside,  could  vote  in  its  aifairs.  Our  proprietors, 
it  appears,  lived  mostly  in  the  towns  of  Concord, 
Groton,  Lancaster  (especially  that  part  of  Lancaster 
then  called  Chockset,  now  Sterling),  Bolton,  Little- 
ton, Westford,  Chelmsford,  Stowe,  Marlborough,  Bil- 
lerica,  and  Woburn.  Their  earliest  recorded  meeting 
as  an  incorporation  was  held  at  Concord,  Oct.  29, 
1733.  At  this  meeting  they  chose  Samuel  Chandler, 
Esq.,  of  Concord,  Jonas  Houghton,  of  Lancaster 
probably,  and  John  Longley,  of  Groton,  a  commit- 
tee "  to  lay  out  a  township  on  the  back  of  Rutland, 
in  lieu  of  one  assigned  to  us  west  of  Ponocook  and 
Suncook." 

At  a  meeting  at  Concord,  Dec.  3,  1733,  they  ac- 
cepted the  township  thus  laid  out,  and  chose  a  com- 
mittee "  to  finish  the  line  and  burn  the  woods  till 
further  order."  But  though  the  proprietors  chose 
their  officers,  and  sent  men  here  —  "  into  the 
woods,"   as    the    records    significantly  call    it  —  to 


survey  and  explore  so  early  as  1733  and  1734,  yet 
it  was  not  till  almost  twenty  years  later  that  any 
substantial  progress  was  made  in  bringing  forward 
the  actual  settlement.  Not  only  the  difficulties  of 
the  wilderness  were  in  the  way,  but  also  the  French 
and  Indian  hostilities  which  raged  between  1744  and 
1749. 

In  1746,  one  of  the  Athol  settlers  was  killed  by 
Indians.  The  same  year,  a  fort,  built  for  the  protec- 
tion of  settlers  in  the  town  of  Adams,  Berkshire 
County,  was  besieged  and  taken  by  a  large  body 
of  French  and  Indians.  In  1747,  the  inhabitants  of 
Ashburnham  (then  called  Dorchester-Canada)  aban- 
doned their  town  for  fear  of  the  enemy.  In  the 
spring  of  that  year,  a  man  in  Athol  was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  savages,  and  carried  to  Canada. 
Garrisons  of  soldiers  were  for  some  years  stationed 
by  the  government  in  the  frontier  towns  to  protect 
the  people.  In  July,  1748,  the  house  of  Mr.  John 
Fitch,  in  Ashby  (who  was  the  first  settler  of  that 
place,  and  from  whom  the  town  of  Fitchburg,  it  is 
said,  derives  its  name),  was  attacked  by  a  party  of 
eighty  Indians.  The  house  was  occupied  by  Mr. 
Fitch,  his  wife,  five  children,  and  three  soldiers 
stationed  there  for  defence.  On  the  morning  of 
that  day,  two  of  the  soldiers  had  gone  a  few  miles 
away;  one  of  them,  returning,  was  fired  upon  and 
killed.  Mr.  Fitch  and  the  remaining  soldier  de- 
fended the  house  for  some  hours ;  Mrs.  Fitch  loading 
the  guns  as  fast  as  they  fired.  At  length  the  soldier 
was   killed  by  an  Indian's   shot.      Mr.    Fitch   then 


8 


agreed  to  surrender,  the  foe  promising  to  spare  their 
lives.  The  Indians  then  burned  the  house,  taking 
a  little  plunder ;  and  carried  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fitch  and 
the  ^Ye  children  —  marching  on  foot  —  as  captives 
to  Canada,  in  order  to  obtain  money  from  the  French. 
The  whole  family  finally  returned  to  Massachusetts. 
It  is  related  that  a  log-chain,  taken  at  Mr.  Fitch's 
house,  was  carried  by  one  of  the  Indians  on  his 
shoulders  all  the  way  to  Canada:  there  he  sold  it 
for  rum.  Such  hostilities  were  suspended,  for  a  few 
years,  after  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  which  was 
negotiated  in  1748. 

Surveys  had  been  made  here,  however,  at  an  early 
day ;  and  one  division  of  land  among  the  proprietors 
completed,  by  laying  out  to  each  a  lot  of  about  forty 
acres  "  of  the  best  of  the  upland."  These  were  called 
"  house-lots,"  and  the  division  was  made  in  1735.* 
These  sections  were  intended  to  be  of  nearly  equal 
quality ;  and  they  were  numbered,  and  distributed  to 
the  proprietors  by  drawing  lots.  Some  of  the  owners 
came  here  and  labored,  especially  in  the  summer  sea- 
son, previous  to  1750.  Something  was  done  towards 
roads,  by  marking  trees,  or  clearing  them  away. 
Steps  had  been  taken,  though  at  first  with  but  indif- 
ferent success,  to  provide  a  sawmill.  But  before 
1750,  probably,  there  were  almost  or  quite  no  houses 
or  families  established  here,  owing  to  the  causes  just 
mentioned.  From  that  time,  families  began  to  move 
in.     It  had  been  voted,  that  the  sixty  families  who 


See  Appendix  B. 


9 


would  first  settle  on  their  lots  should  receive  a  certain 
sum,  amounting,  however,  to  only  a  few  dollars  each ; 
the  other  sixty  "  non-settlers "  paying  the  money 
into  the  proprietors'  treasury  for  them.  The  earliest 
payment  from  the  treasury  to  any  person,  for  thus 
building  a  house  on  his  lot  and  living  in  it  with  a 
family,  was  made  in  September,  1751,  to  Elias  Wilder ; 
the  next  in  October,  1751,  to  Deacon  Charles  Baker; 
and  the  next  in  May,  1752,  to  Timothy  Chase.  In 
the  course  of  three  years  and  a  half  afterwards,  such 
payments  had  been  made,  in  all,  to  about  thirty  actual 
settlers.  This  includes,  it  will  be  observed,  settle- 
ments anywhere  within  the  whole  township,  —  the 
part  now  in  Phillipston,  as  well  as  in  Templeton. 
And  from  that  day  to  this,  through  the  whole  of  the 
hundred  years,  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  this 
territory  has  been  constantly  increasing'. 

Those  original  proprietors  and  settlers  were  per- 
sons whose  views  were  liberal,  enlightened,  and 
honest.  They  came  here  to  labor  with  their  hands, 
in  the  pursuit  of  an  honorable  livelihood,  relying  on 
the  bounties  of  that  Providence  which  they  knew 
would  preserve  seedtime  and  harvest.  They  were 
seeking  no  sudden  influx  of  wealth  from  trade  and 
speculations,  or  by  digging  for  hidden  treasures  or 
ores.  They  expected  to  work  hard,  —  they  and  their 
families.  All  they  did  looked  forward  to  permanency; 
for  they  felt,  that,  when  their  generation  had  passed 
away,  they  should  leave  a  goodly  heritage  to  the 
coming  times.  They  meant  to  lay  the  foundation  of 
prosperity  for  the  town  on  the  basis  of  industry,  eco- 


10 


nomy,  and  frugality;    on  intelligence,   sobriety,  and 
Christian  principle. 

They  relied,  we  have  said,  on  the  cultivation  of  the 
soil,  and  its  growth  of  timber.  There  had  been 
rumors,  indeed,  of  something  remarkable  and  precious 
in  the  locality.  There  was  a  spot  called  Mine  Hill, 
and  there  were  other  places,  where  rocks  had  been 
found  of  yellow  and  shining  appearance.  Some 
thought  there  might  be  large  profits  yet  out  of  digging 
for  such  treasure.  In  those  early  times,  one  of  the 
first  inquiries,  whenever  a  new  region  was  explored 
anywhere  in  New  England,  was,  "  Are  there  any  pre- 
cious ores  there '?  "  But  our  oldest  records  contain  an 
evident  proof  of  the  good  sense  of  our  proprietors  on 
that  subject.  At  a  meeting  on  the  8th  of  June,  1743, 
held  at  Concord,  there  was  an  article  in  the  warrant 
in  these  words,  —  "  to  act  as  the  said  proprietors 
shall  think  proper  concerning  the  mines  in  said  town- 
ship." But  they  voted,  in  these  positive  words,  "  that 
the  article  be  entirely  dismissed  for  the  present."  It 
was  never  renewed.*  Their  attention  was  turned  to 
more  practicable  matters.  A  road  was  marked  from 
the  township  to  Narraganset  No.  2,  that  is,  Westmin- 
ster. Committees  were  authorized  to  buy  lands  that 
had  before  been  lotted  out  to  individuals,  in  order 
that  the  settlers  might  secure  mill-privileges.  Only 
a  few  years  after  the  first  organization,  they  engaged 
Mr.  Sheldon  to  build  a  sawmill.  They  early  chose 
out  a  place  for  the  meeting-house.      In  1744,  they 


See  Appendix  C. 


11 


voted  to  lay  a  road  from  the  meeting-house  place  to 
the  sawmill,  and  thence  onward  toward  Westminster. 
However,  Mr.  Sheldon  could  not  build  the  sawmill, 
as  was  expected ;  and  a  bargain  was  made  to  give 
land  to  others  who  agreed  to  build  a  mill.  The  first 
sawmill  seems  to  have  been  erected  just  before  the 
French  and  Indian  War  of  1744,  already  spoken  of, 
and  to  have  lain  neglected  for  some  years  during  those 
hostilities  ;  no  permanent  inhabitants  coming  in  till 
the  peace.  It  was  then  found  not  to  be  in  good 
working  order;  for,  in  1749,  the  clerk  was  directed 
to  write  to  the  owners  "  to  rectify  the  sawmill."  But, 
as  it  never  proved  satisfactory,  another  was  built  not 
many  years  after.  We  have  said  that  houses  seem 
to  have  been  first  erected  and  occupied  by  families  in 
1750  or  1751 ;  and  within  two  years  more,  as  soon  as 
there  were  twenty  families  or  thereabouts  in  the 
township,  it  was  determined  to  build  a  meeting-house, 
fifty  feet  long  by  forty  wide. 

The  Lord's  Day  was  respected  from  the  very  begin- 
ning. Before  the  meeting-house  was  built,  and  at 
a  time  when  the  congregations  in  the  neighboring 
settlements  at  Athol,  Petersham,  and  elsewhere,  felt 
obliged  to  carry  their  weapons  with  them,  when 
assembled  for  public  worship,  for  fear  of  Indians, 
and  the  ministers  preached  with  a  loaded  gun  by 
their  side,  did  the  settlers  here  regularly  assemble 
in  private  houses  to  consecrate  the  day  with  psalm 
and  prayer,  and  listen  to  the  preacher's  discourse. 
In  the  autumn  of  1752,  when  there  were  probably  not 
more  than  fifteen  or  eighteen  families  in  the  town- 


12 


ship,  the  proprietors  granted  a  tax  of  four  .shillings 
on  each  right  of  land  to  provide  preaching  for  the 
ensuing  winter.  This  was  a  far  larger  sum,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  property  then  here,  than  what  is  now 
paid  for  the  support  of  public  worship  in  this  town 
by  all  denominations.  In  1753,  they  did  the  same. 
Rev.  Aaron  Whitney,  of  Petersham,  and  Mr.  Boaz 
Brown,  were  the  committee  to  obtain  a  preacher. 
They  employed  Dr.  Joseph  Lord,  of  Athol,  then 
called  Pequoiage,  who  was  a  physician  and  preacher, 
a  man  of  good  ability,  and  the  most  prominent  per- 
son among  the  settlers  of  that  township.  He  was 
the  first  and  only  preacher  employed  here  till  Eev. 
Mr.  Pond  came.  Dr.  Lord  was  son  of  Eev.  Joseph 
Lord,  who  was  minister  at  Charleston,  S.C.  He  was 
graduated  at  Harvard  University  in  1726;  and  prac- 
tised medicine  in  the  town  of  Sunderland,  previous 
to  his  residence  in  Athol.  He  afterwards  removed  to 
Vermont,  and  was  a  judge  of  a  county  court.  He 
died  in  Westmoreland,  N.H.,  in  1788.* 

As  soon  as  the  meeting-house  was  finished,  it  was 
determined  to  settle  a  minister,  and  make  ready  for 
all  the  institutions  on  which  they  relied  for  the  pros- 
perity of  the  town.  About  the  same  time,  a  grist- 
mill was  built  by  Mr.  Thomas  Sawyer,  by  help  of  a 
tax  on  each  lot  granted  by  the  proprietors.  From 
the  survey  of  the  records  and  history  of  the  town 
up  to  the  point  when  these  things  were  first  executed 


*  These  facts  concerning  Mr.  Lord's  life  are  taken  from  Rev.  Samuel  F.  Clarke' 
Centennial  Discourse  at  Athol. 


13 


a  hundred  years  ago,  we  cannot  but  be  struck 
with  a  sense  of  the  enlarged  and  far-sighted  views 
of  those  earliest  settlers.  What  objects  were  their 
greatest  sacrifices  immediately  aimed  at  1  What 
were  they  most  anxious  to  secure?  To  what  did 
they  devote  every  dollar  they  could  spare,  or  gain 
by  extra  labors  ?  Clearly,  the  four  great  things  they 
were  most  resolved  upon  in  their  public  afiairs,  and 
determined  to  have,  whatever  else  they  might  go 
without,  were  roads,  mills,  schools,  and  church  insti- 
tutions. And  now  that  a  hundred  years  have  rolled 
on,  and  our  Commonwealth  has  increased  so  much 
in  population;  has  so  vastly  enlarged  its  wealth, 
multiplied  its  comforts  of  living,  and  gained  such 
an  honorable  fame  over  the  whole  world  for  the 
intelligence  and  character  of  its  citizens,  for  its  prin- 
ciples of  civil  liberty  and  of  religion,  —  tell  me  from 
what  sources  of  public  effort  have  sprung  this  won- 
drous prosperity,  this  intelligence  and  honorable 
character,  and  the  abounding  charities  of  the  sons 
and  daughters  of  Massachusetts'?  While  relying  as 
our  fathers  did,  under  Providence,  upon  the  annual 
fertility  of  the  soil,  as  the  great  source  from  which 
sustenance  comes,  has  not  this  great  expansion  of 
the  prosperity  of  the  husbandman  and  of  all  classes 
been  precisely  owing  to  the  surpassing  interest  mani- 
fested by  our  State  in  just  those  same  four  subjects'? 
that  is  to  say,  first,  in  improving  the  means  of  com- 
munication by  common  roads,  and  at  length  by  steam 
transportation  ;  secondly,  by  looking  to  the  advan- 
tages of  machinery  in  situations  to  be  driven  by  the 


14 


vast  water-power  of  our  State ;  thirdly,  by  cherishing 
public  free  schools;  and,  fourthly,  by  steadily  up- 
holding the  institutions  of  public  worship,  and  of 
Christianity  in  all  its  applications. 

Depend  upon  it,  that  while  the  earliest  settlers 
of  this  township  made  such  exertions  and  sacrifices 
(amid  all  the  difficulties  of  first  bringing  the  forest 
under  cultivation)  for  the  sake  of  means  of  travel 
and  transport,  for  mills,  schools,  and  the  church, 
they  were  directly  and  powerfully  co-operating  with 
just  those  instrumentalities  and  principles  which 
have  made  in  our  Commonwealth,  out  of  a  little 
one,  such  a  great  people.  Thus  the  fathers  were 
workins:  for  the  future,  rather  than  for  their  own 
times.  With  enlightened  views,  heroic  purposes,  and 
steadfast  faith,  they  were  acting  in  harmony  with 
the  eternal  laws  and  plans  of  the  Almighty's  moral 
providence ;  and  therefore  mighty  success  followed 
their  labors. 

In  proceeding  now  to  trace  the  succession  of 
things  here  in  the  century  past,  with  especial  refer- 
ence to  our  church  history  and  religious  institutions, 
let  us  first  fix  clearly  in  the  mind  a  few  of  the  im- 
portant dates  and  events.  Though  the  township 
was  granted  some  twenty  years  earlier,  it  is  now 
just  a  hundred  years  ago  that  families  enough  had 
settled  here,  under  the  regulations  of  the  proprietors, 
to  begin  religious  institutions,  having  just  builded 
a  meeting-house;  Phillipston  and  Templeton  being 
then  together. 

The   first    meeting-house    stood   upwards    of  fifty 


15 


years,  and  until  this  house  in  which  we  arc  now 
assembled  was  built,  which  was  in  1811.  On  the 
10th  of  December,  1755,  the  First  Church  of  Christ 
was  embodied,  and  a  minister  was  ordained,  —  the 
Rev.  Daniel  Pond.  His  ministry,  however,  lasted 
only  three  or  four  years,  and  produced,  consequently, 
but  little  impression  upon  the  town.  Very  soon 
after,  another  minister  was  settled,  —  the  Rev.  Ebene- 
ZER  Sparhawk,  who  came  here  in  the  year  1761, 
while  there  were  not  more,  probably,  than  about  fifty 
or  sixty  families  in  the  whole  township  (the  west  or 
Phillipston  part  included,  as  well  as  the  Templeton) : 
that  was  also  before  the  place  was  incorporated 
with  town-privileges.  Mr.  Sparhawk  continued  in 
the  ministry  here  as  long  as  he  lived ;  that  is,  to 
Nov.  25,  1805,  when  it  wanted  only  fifteen  days  of 
completing  the  first  half-century  of  the  church. 
Fifteen  months  after  Mr.  Sparhawk's  death,  the  Rev. 
Charles  "Wellington  was    ordained,  and   continues 

—  God  be  thanked !  —  pastor  and  minister  to  this 
day.  So  that  our  whole  ecclesiastical  history,  from 
the  beginning,  naturally  divides  itself  into  two  great 
periods,  each  of  just  half  a  century.  The  first  com- 
prises the  fifty  years  succeeding  the  formation  of  the 
church,  —  almost  the  whole  of  which  was  covered 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry ;  the  second  period 
comprises  the  fifty  years  since  Mr.  Sparhawk's  death, 

—  almost  the  whole  of  which  also  is  covered  by  the 
ministry  of  his  immediate  successor.  Rev.  Dr.  Wel- 
lington. Let  it  be  further  observed,  that  Templeton, 
having  been  incorporated  as  a  town  a  year  or  two 


16 


after  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ordination  here,  the  territory 
at  first  belonging  to  Templeton,  which  is  now  in  Phil- 
lipston,  was  set  off  as  a  distinct  precinct  or  parish 
in  1774;  and  that  territory,  with  some  addition  from 
Athol,  was  at  length  incorporated  as  a  town  in  the 
year  1786,  originally  bearing  the  name  of  Gerry, 
but  since  changed  to  Phillipston.  A  church  was 
gathered  there  in  1785  ;  twenty-five  of  the  members 
of  which  at  first  belonged  to  this  church,  and  w^ere 
dismissed  for  the  purpose  of  forming  that  new  church. 
Not  far  from  the  same  period,  also,  —  that  is,  when 
about  half  of  the  time  of  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry 
had  passed, —  there  was  a  Baptist  church-organization 
established  in  Templeton,  to  w^hich  about  twenty  of 
the  members  of  the  First  Church  withdrew.  The 
parallel  between  the  two  half-century  periods  con- 
tinued ;  for,  when  about  half  of  the  time  of  the 
present  senior  pastor's  ministry  had  expired^  namely, 
in  the  year  1832,  and  just  fifty  years  after  the  forma- 
tion of  that  Baptist  church,  there  was  also  another 
division,  by  the  organization  in  this  town  of  "  the 
Trinitarian  Church,"  to  which  about  twenty-five 
members  withdrew  from  the  First  Church. 

With  these  prominent  facts  and  dates  distinctly 
in  mind,  you  will  now  be  prepared  to  take  a  cursory 
and  comprehensive  glance  through  the  whole  period 
of  our  ecclesiastical  history. 

Looking  back,  then,  a  hundred  years,  we  find 
those  resolute  men  who  were  the  pioneers  here  com- 
pleting their  preparations  to  worship  God  in  freedom, 
according  to   their  own  consciences.     We  see  them 


17 


relying  on  the  great  Protestant  principle,  that  the 
Scriptures  are  to  every  man,  who  sincerely  strives 
to  walk  by  their  light,  a  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and 
practice.  They  wanted  no  bishop  nor  presbytery  to 
rule  over  them.  They  were  competent,  as  freemen 
in  Christ,  to  gather  themselves  into  a  church,  and 
to  appoint  and  ordain  one  to  be  their  minister  in 
the  things  of  the  gospel.  In  the  year  1755,  so  early 
as  the  8th  of  January,  they  signed  their  names,  to- 
gether with  their  pastor  elect,  —  to  the  number  of 
twelve  men  in  all,  —  to  a  church  covenant ;  profess- 
ing their  determination,  as  disciples  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  to  walk  together,  as  a  church  of  Christ,  in 
mutual  charity,  and  obedience  to  gospel  rules  and 
the  use  of  Christian  privileges.  Though  this  was 
done  in  the  early  part  of  the  year,  the  organization 
of  the  church  was  not  considered  as  completed  till 
the  concurrence  and  fellowship  of  the  Christian 
brethren  of  the  neighborhood  had  been  manifested. 
The  council  convened  for  this  purpose,  and  for  the 
ordination  of  the  pastor  elect,  did  not  assemble  till 
the  10th  of  December  following.  It  is  not  impro- 
bable that  this  delay  was  caused  by  the  interruptions 
produced  that  year  by  French  and  Indian  hostili- 
ties. War  was  formally  declared  by  England  against 
France  in  1756 ;  but,  for  many  months  previous, 
military  operations  had  been  carried  on  by  the  respec- 
tive Colonies  of  the  two  nations  on  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic.  In  1755  occurred  Braddock's  celebrated 
defeat.  In  the  same  year,  hostile  Indians,  under 
the   guidance  of  Canadian-French   officers,   menaced 


18 


for  the  last  time  the  frontier  settlements  of  Massa- 
chusetts. They  ravaged  and  burned  towns  in  New 
Hampshire,  on  the  Connecticut  River.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  Winchendon  (then  called  Ipswich-Canada) 
asked  the  General  Court  for  aid  and  protection ;  stat- 
ing that  Indians  were  about,  so  that  they  could  not 
cultivate  their  fields,  and  were  dependent  on  Lunen- 
burg, Lancaster,  and  Groton,  for  food.  In  the  month 
of  August,  1755,  a  scouting  party  of  soldiers  dis- 
covered traces  of  hostile  Indians  in  Winchendon. 
A  fort  was  built,  probably  during  the  summer  of 
1755,  in  this  township,  for  safety  in  case  of  an  Indian 
attack.*  While  the  homes  and  families  of  our  first 
settlers  were  in  such  danger,  it  is  not  surprising  that 
they  postponed  for  a  few  months  the  completion  of 
their  church  affairs  and  the  ordination  of  the  pastor. 
The  dangers  having  at  length  ceased,  an  ecclesiastical 
council  was  assembled  on  the  10th  of  December, 
1755,  who,  according  to  the  certificate  of  the  mode- 
rator recorded  in  the  proprietors'  records,  "  did  gather 
a  church,  set  apart  and  ordain  the  Rev.  Daniel  Pond 
the  first  minister  of  that  plantation."  f  And  thus,  in 
conformity  to   their  own  liberties  and  conscientious 


*  The  proprietors,  at  their  meeting  in  October,  1755,  voted  "  to  make  a  reasonable 
allowance  "  to  the  persons  who  built  the  fort.  I  have  uot  been  able  to  ascertain  its 
location.  Probably  it  consisted  of  simple  ramparts  of  logs  and  earth,  within  which 
any  settlers  might  retire  upon  an  alarm;  and  was  thought  defensible  against  a 
savage  enemy,  armed  only  with  muskets. 

t  Mr.  Pond  Avas  entitled,  by  the  terms  of  his  settlement,  to  have  the  original  lot 
or  right  of  land  reserved,  in  the  grant  by  the  Legislature,  for  the  first  minister,  — 
equal  to  a  hundred  and  twenty-third  part  of  the  whole  township ;  also  fifty-five 
pounds  of  lawful  money  as  "  a  settlement; "  and  a  salary,  for  the  first  three  years,  of 
fifty-five  pounds  a  year,  and  subsequently  of  fifty-two  pounds  a  year. 


19 


judgment,  and  with  the  sympathy  and  fellowship  of 
other  churches,  was  organized  this,  the  First  Congre- 
gational Church  of  Christ  in  the  town.  The  church 
assumed  at  its  formation  no  sectarian  or  party  name : 
it  never  has  from  that  day  to  this.'  On  the  basis  of 
Protestant  Christianity,  and  of  the  simple,  free,  and 
scriptural  usages  and  forms  of  the  Congregational 
order  and  discipline,  it  stands,  and  has  ever  stood, 
calling  no  man  master ;  because  one  is  its  Master, 
even  Christ,  and  the  members  are  all  brethren. 

Those  twelve  men,  who,  on  that  eventful  day, 
acknowledged  their  signatures  and  the  consent  of 
their  hearts  to  that  church-organization,  must  have 
felt  that  they  were  then,  indeed,  laying  "  the  founda- 
tions of  many  generations."  I  have  before  me  the 
original  paper,  subscribed  in  the  handwriting  of  each 
of  the  twelve.  Precious  relic  !  May  it  be  safely 
preserved  many  centuries  more  ! 

The  names  of  these  twelve  original  founders  are 
Daniel  Pond,  Joshua  Hyde,  Josiah  Wheat,  David 
Clark,  Charles  Baker,  David  Goddard,  Jacob  Byam, 
Phineas  Byam,  Zaccheus  Barrett,  Elias  Wilder, 
Thomas  Drury,  John  Chamberlin. 

This  original  church-covenant  conformed  in  its 
phraseology  to  the  usual  theology  of  the  times.  It 
was  not  drawn  up,  however,  by  Mr.  Pond,  or  by 
any  of  the  members,  here;  for  it  was  the  same  as 
the  one  adopted,  several  years  before,  at  the  forma- 
tion of  the  First  Church  in  Athol,  and  which  con- 
tinued to  be  used  there  so  lately  as  to  the  end 
of  the  venerable   Mr.  Esterbrook's   life.      Probably, 


20 


in  both  cases,  it  was  copied  from  some  form  in  use 
elsewhere.  Afterwards,  Eev.  Mr.  Sparhawk  sub- 
stituted another  form,  —  shorter,  but  of  the  same 
practical  import,  and  less  particular  in  its  doctrinal 
expressions. 

That  was  a  great  day  for  the  inhabitants  of  Narra- 
ganset  No.  6,  a  hundred  years  ago,  which  witnessed 
the  first  consecration  of  their  public  religious  institu- 
tions. Friends,  relatives,  and  strangers  came  in  on 
horseback,  from  many  miles,  in  large  numbers.  The 
meeting-house,  then  just  erected,  was  crowded  with 
people  from  far  and  near.  A  generous  hospitality 
w^as  afforded  to  all  comers.  The  entertainment  for 
the  council,  and  the  many  guests  from  abroad,  was 
made  by  Mr.  Jason  Whitney.  The  proprietors' 
ancient  records  contain  the  items  of  the  provisions 
furnished  on  the  occasion,  and  paid  for  out  of  their 
treasury,  with  the  prices  for  the  same :  they  were 
ample  and  generous.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  that  there 
was  no  tea  or  coffee ;  but  there  was  a  barrel  of  cider, 
and  liquors,  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  times,  in 
moderate  quantities.  Large  kettles  were  scarce :  one 
or  two  of  brass  were  transported,  at  considerable 
expense,  from  other  towns.  Some  provender  for  the 
horses,  and  other  stores,  had  been  brought  from 
abroad.  Among  the  items  of  food  were  fifty  pounds 
of  veal,  at  two  cents  and  a  quarter  per  pound; 
thirty-seven  pounds  and  a  half  of  pork,  at  four 
cents  and  a  half;  twenty-five  pounds  of  beef,  at 
two  cents  and  three-quarters ;  "  two  geese  and  four 
hens,"  which  cost  together  less  than  did  six  pounds 


21 


of  sugar.  The  price  paid  out  of  the  treasury  for 
horse-keeping  was  at  the  rate  of  nine  cents  a  day 
each.  To  the  inhabitants,  it  was  a  day  of  festivity 
and  cheerful  anticipations :  they  were  manifesting 
their  settled  conviction,  that  the  things  of  religion 
must  be  recognized  as  indispensable  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  infant  settlement,  and  their  desire  that  gospel- 
institutions  should  strengthen  and  grow  with  the 
growth  and  strength  of  the  town.  They  had  called 
in  the  ministers  and  people  of  the  neighboring  towns 
for  counsel,  sympathy,  and  aid ;  and  there,  under 
the  impressive  circumstances  and  amid  the  primeval 
forest,  did  they  invoke  the  blessing  of  God  on  those 
consecrations  for  which  the  day  had  been  set  apart. 

But  Mr.  Pond's  ministry,  as  already  stated,  was 
very  short.  In  the  course  of  three  or  four  years, 
difficulties  had  arisen.  A  mutual  council  was  called 
in  to  give  its  advice.  They  investigated  and  delibe- 
rated for  two  days.  It  was  considered  no  light  thing 
for  minister  and  people  to  be  separated.  But  the 
council,  on  the  whole,  gave  their  judgment  in  favor 
of  his  dismission.  With  this  advice,  both  the  mini- 
ster and  the  proprietors  complied.  He  ceased  to 
preach  here  in  August,  1759. 

Mr.  Pond,  according  to  the  best  information  I 
have  been  able  to  obtain,  was  born  May  13,  1724, 
probably  in  Wrentham,  Mass.  He  was  graduated  at 
Harvard  University,  Cambridge,  in  1745,  in  the  class 
with  Gov.  James  Bowdoin.  He  did  not  continue  in 
the  ministry,  but  went  to  West  Medway,  then  a  part 
of  Wrentham,  and  was  a  teacher,  receiving  students 


22 


into  his  house.  After  Eev.  Mr.  Sparhawk's  settle- 
ment here,  Mr.  Pond  was  dismissed  from  membership 
in  this  church,  and  recommended  to  the  church  in 
that  place,  to  which  he  was  received  as  a  member, 
June,  1764.  He  seems  to  have  enjoyed  confidence 
and  respect  from  the  citizens  there.  He  was  very 
strongly  opposed  to  what  were  called  the  Hopkinsian 
views  in  theology ;  and,  upon  the  settlement  of  a 
minister  in  West  Medway  who  advocated  those  views, 
he  withdrew  from  that  church  to  another,  and,  by 
the  action  he  took,  became  the  leader  in  a  dissension 
in  that  town,  which  lasted  many  years.  It  is  said 
that  he  finally  removed  to  Otter  Creek,  and  died 
there. 

At  the  same  meeting  of  proprietors  at  which 
the  action  of  the  council,  in  favor  of  dismissing 
Mr.  Pond,  was  ratified,  they  chose  Mr.  Jonas  Wilder, 
Eev.  Aaron  Whitney  (of  Petersham),  and  Mr.  Daniel 
Knowlton,  a  committee  to  provide  preaching  in  the 
township,  with  a  view  to  another  settlement.  The 
first  minister  who  came  (September,  1759)  was  Mr. 
Josiah  Brown,*  who  preached  only  three  or  four  Sun- 
days. He  was  followed  by  Mr.  Francis  Gardner,  who 
seems  to  have  been  quite  acceptable  to  the  people; 
for  he  preached  here  at  difierent  times  the  greater 
part  of  a  year.  There  were  four  or  five  other  candi- 
dates before  Mr.  Sparhawk  came ;  but  Mr.  Gardner 
supplied  more  Sundays  than  all  the  others. 


*  Perhaps  Jositih  Brown,  graduate  of  Harvard  College  in  1735,  who  was  never 
ordained. 


23 


Mr.  Gardner  was  son  of  Rev.  John  Gardner,  of 
Stowe;  and  born  Feb.  17,  1736;  graduated  at  Har- 
vard College  in  1755 ;  and  was  ordained  at  Leo- 
minster, Dec.  22,  1762.  He  died  June  4,  1814.  His 
brother,  Henry,  was  the  first  Treasurer  of  Massa- 
chusetts after  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution, 
and  was  grandfather  of  the  present  Governor  of  the 
Commonwealth. 

Mr.  Gardner  not  proving  to  be  the  one  who  was  to 
become  the  spiritual  guide  of  the  little  flock  here, 
their  attention  was  turned  to  others.  Mr.  Thomas 
Rice  preached  the  next  largest  number  of  Sundays. 
He  was  from  Sutton,  about  twenty-five  years  old,  and 
had  been  out  of  college  three  or  four  years.  He  was 
never  ordained,  but  became  a  physician ;  and  at  length 
filled  the  office  of  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas,  and  other  public  posts,  in  Maine.  Next  came 
Mr.  Lemuel  Hedge,  just  from  college ;  born  in  Hard- 
wick  ;  and  finally  settled  as  the  minister  of  Warwick 
(then  called  Roxbury-Canada),  Dec.  3,  1760,  where 
he  died  Oct.  17,  1777.  He  was  father  of  Professor 
Hedge,  of  Harvard  University.  There  was  also  a 
"  Rev.  Mr.  Jones,  of  Woburn,"  who  preached  a  short 
time,  perhaps  only  a  single  sabbath ;  *  and  a  Mr. 
Whitney,  for  two  sabbaths.f 

Another  of  the  young  preachers  employed  was 
Stephen  Shattuck,  jun. ;  a  classmate  with  Mr.  Spar- 
hawk  at  Harvard  College.     He  was  born  in  Littleton, 


Probably  Rev.  Cornelius  Jones  (H.  C.  1752),  the  first  minister  in  Rowe,  Mass. 
Probably  Rev.  P.  Whitney  (H.  C.  1759),  afterwards  minister  of  Shirley. 


24 


of  which  town  his  father  was  the  first  minister ;  and 
was  brother  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Shattuck,  the  first  phy- 
sician of  this  town.  Mr.  Shattuck  was  never  ordained. 
He  kept  school  occasionally.  His  death  took  place 
in  Littleton,  in  1799. 

The  last  candidate,  before  Mr.  Sparhawk,  was  Mr. 
Thomas  Fessenden,  of  Cambridge,  then  only  twenty- 
two  years  old.  He  was  graduated  at  Harvard  College 
in  1758,  at  the  age  of  nineteen  ;  and  was  ordained 
at  Walpole,  N.H.,  Jan.  7,  1767,  where  he  died  in 
1813. 

In  1760  and  1761,  the  proprietors  appointed  on 
their  committees,  to  supply  the  pulpit,  Jonas  Wilder, 
Charles  Baker,  Ebenezer  Wright,  and  Zaccheus 
Barrett.  By  them,  Mr.  Ebenezer  Sparhawk  was  in- 
troduced here ;  preaching  in  this  place,  for  the  first 
time,  Nov.  29,  1760.  The  tradition  remains,  that, 
on  the  first  journey  hither,  —  coming  on  Saturday 
from  Rutland,  probably  by  way  of  Barre,  on  horse- 
back, guided  only  by  marked  trees,  —  Mr.  Sparhawk 
lost  his  way ;  and  night  coming  on,  and  no  habitations 
discernible,  he  was  obliged  to  fasten  his  horse  to  a 
tree,  and,  as  the  weather  was  quite  cold,  was  con- 
strained, for  safety,  to  walk  in  a  circle  about  the 
tree  all  night.  When  morning  came,  the  spot  proved 
to  be  but  a  short  distance  from  the  house  of  Deacon 
Wilder,  on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Col.  George  W. 
Sawyer.  Mr.  Sparhawk  preached  here  through  the 
greater  part  of  the  year  1761.  One  reason  why 
the  settlements  of  those  days  were  more  permanent 
than  modern  ones  was,  that  candidates  and  parishes 


25 


took  time  enough  to  become  acquainted,  and  ascer- 
tain whether  there  was  a  mutual  adaptation,  before 
it  was  ventured  to  propose  or  accept  a  call. 

Mr.  Sparhawk  received  his  call  to  settle  here  in 
July,  accepted  it  in  October,  and  was  ordained  Nov. 
18,  1761.  Many  of  the  present  congregation  asso- 
ciate his  manly  form  and  dignified  yet  courteous 
bearing  with  the  most  hallowed  of  their  early  recol- 
lections. His  memory  is  reverenced  by  all  as  that 
of  a  truly  honest,  pious,  faithful  minister  of  God. 
His  settlement  here  in  the  freshness  of  youth,  at 
the  age  of  only  twenty-three,  remaining  as  he  did 
till  his  death  at  almost  threescore  and  ten,  was  a 
most  happy  thing  for  the  town ;  for  it  was  his  mini- 
stry and  influence,  as  already  said,  that  gave  cha- 
racter, in  a  great  measure,  to  the  first  half-century 
of  our  church  history.  Nor  has  that  influence  ceased 
with  his  life  :  it  has  been  felt  for  good  to  this  day. 

Mr.  Sparhawk  was  born  in  that  part  of  Cambridge 
which  is  now  Brighton,  June  15,  1738,  of  pious  and 
respectable  parents.  He  was  instructed  in  the  lan- 
guages and  fltted  for  college  chiefly  by  Mr.  Jonathan 
Winchester,  of  Brookline,  who  was  afterwards  minister 
of  Ashburnham.  He  entered  Harvard  College,  at  Cam- 
bridge, at  the  age  of  fourteen  years ;  and  was  gradu- 
ated at  eighteen,  in  the  year  1756,  the  next  year  after 
the  graduation  of  John  Adams,  second  President  of  the 
United  States.  After  leaving  college,  Mr.  Sparhawk 
taught  school  in  Lexington,  Rutland,  Shrewsbury,  and 
Worcester.  While  teaching,  he  pursued  his  studies 
for  the  ministry ;  in  part  under  the  direction  of  the 


26 


Rev.  Mr.  Buckminster,  of  Eutland,  the  grandfather 
of  the  celebrated  and  beloved  Joseph  Stevens  Buck- 
minster, who  was  pastor  of  the  Brattle-street  Church 
in  Boston.  Mr.  Sparhawk  preached  his  first  sermon 
at  Charlestown,  Jan.  20,  1760;  and  preached  here 
upwards  of  thirty  Sundays,  in  1761,  before  his  ordi- 
nation. The  council  assembled  for  his  settlement 
consisted  of  the  representatives  of  seven  churches, 
and  was  composed  of  six  pastors  and  ten  delegates. 
They  met  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Zaccheus  Barrett, 
where  Mr.  Sparhawk  then  boarded,  —  the  house 
now  occupied  by  the  Dolbear  family,  Mr.  Barrett's 
desendants,  and  which  is  said  to  have  been  the  first 
framed  house  ever  erected  within  the  present  bounds 
of  the  town.  The  public  services  of  the  ordination 
were  conducted  as  follows :  Introductory  prayer  by 
Rev.  Mr.  Davis,  of  Holden ;  charge  by  Rev.  Mr.  Hill, 
of  Shutesbury ;  prayer  "  after  the  charge  "  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Maccarty,  of  Worcester;  right  hand  of  fellow- 
ship by  Rev.  Aaron  "Whitney,  of  Petersham.  The 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Joseph  Buckminster, 
of  Rutland,  and  was  afterwards  printed.  I  have 
been  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain,  in  a  distant  town, 
a  copy  of  that  sermon,  which  is  now  before  me. 
It  is  entire,  with  the  exception  of  a  single  missing 
leaf;  and,  from  the  context,  the  connection  of  the 
absent  passage  is  sufiiciently  evident.  The  text  is 
2  Thess.  iii.  1 ;  and  the  general  theme  of  the  dis- 
course is  the  ofiice  of  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and 
their  need  of  their  people's  sympathy  and  prayers. 
It    is    an    able,    sensible,    and    practical    discourse. 


27 


There   is   not   a  word   in   it  which  we   should  not 
now  cordially  accept  * 

Mr.  Sparhawk  was  settled  upon  an  annual  salary 
of  £66.  ISs.  U.,  which  was  equal  to  ^222.22;  with 
the  amount  of  two  years'  salary  additional,  paid  as 
"a  settlement."  This  "settlement"  money  he  invested 
in  land.  It  was  probably  nearly  or  quite  sufficient 
for  the  purchase  of  his  farm  of  eighty  acres,  without 
buildings.  It  was  stipulated  that  he  should  have 
leave  to  be  absent  three  Sundays  a  year.  This  salary 
of  two  hundred  and  twenty-two  dollars  continued  the 
same  throughout  his  life.  Small  as  such  a  support 
now  seems,  it  was  then  considered  by  all  a  generous 
sum.  It  was  probably,  at  the  time  of  his  ordination, 
more  valuable  —  relatively  to  the  prices  of  things, 
and  the  requisitions  of  a  minister's  living  —  than  any 
of  the  salaries  now  paid  by  any  of  the  religious 
societies  in  this  town ;  and  so  continued  for  a  great 
many  years,  with  the  exception  of  a  portion  of  the 
troubled  times  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  At  that 
time,  the  rate  of  wages  for  able-bodied  men,  doing 
long  days'  work  and  boarding  themselves,  was  less 
than  fifty  cents  a  day.  Thirty  years  later,  the  wages 
of  carpenters  and  painters  in  this  town  were  only 
four  shillings  a  day,  boarding  themselves.  Female 
help  was  less  than  fifty  cents  a  week.  The  work  of 
a  pair  of  oxen  was,  for  a  long  time,  twenty-five 
cents  a  day.  On  the  other  hand,  some  articles, 
especially   of    foreign    produce,    were    higher    than 

*  See  Appendix  D. 


28 


now.  The  increase  of  expenses  of  living  began  to 
be  materially  felt  chiefly  within  the  ten  or  fifteen 
years  before  the  close  of  his  ministry ;  and  the  salary 
finally  became  quite  inadequate.  There  seems  to 
have  been  a  want  of  justice  on  the  part  of  the 
people,  in  the  last  ten  years,  in  not  consenting  to 
increase  it.  A  small  addition  for  his  firewood  was 
voted  for  three  years,  from  1794  to  1797;  but  even 
this  was  not  continued  afterward.  On  the  whole, 
it  is  probable,  that,  at  the  termination  of  the  first 
half-century,  the  necessary  expenses  of  living  had 
about  doubled,  in  the  aggregate,  from  what  they 
were  at  the  beginning.* 

About  two  years  after  his  ordination,  Mr.  Spar- 
hawk  married  Miss  Abigail  Stearns,  daughter  of 
Rev.  David  and  Mrs.  Ruth  Stearns,  of  Lunenburg. 
She  was  about  his  own  age.  Her  mother,  on  being 
afterward  left  a  widow,  married  the  Rev.  Aaron 
Whitney,  of  Petersham.  Mr.  Sparhawk,  having 
bought  his  farm,  built,  in  1764,  the  house  which 
he  inhabited  more  than  forty  years,  till  his  death, 
and  in  which  my  colleague,  who  purchased  it  of  his 
heirs,  has  resided  for  a  still  longer  time.  There 
were  four  sons  born  of  Mr.  Sparhawk's  first  mar- 
riage, one  of  whom  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Ruth 
Sparhawk,  his  "  valuable  and  beloved  consort,"  as 
he  called  her,  died  of  a  fever,  April  21,  1772.  He 
was  married  again,  to  Miss  Naomi  Hill,  daughter 
of  Rev.  Abraham  and  Naomi  Hill,  of  Shutesbury. 


*  See  Appendix  E. 


29 


She  was  bom  Aug.  17,  1749,  and  survived  her 
husband  twenty-three  years ;  dying  in  this  town  at 
the  age  of  almost  eighty,  having  enjoyed  esteem  and 
respect  from  the  people.  Of  the  second  marriage, 
there  were  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Of  Mr. 
Sparhawk's  twelve  children,  only  one  died  young. 
One  son  and  three  daughters  still  survive. 

During  forty-four  years  did  Eev.  Mr.  Sparhawk 
faithfully  and  vigorously  discharge  his  duties  as  mini- 
ster of  this  people.  At  times,  he  had  trials  to  bear 
in  the  duties  of  his  office,  and  opposition  to  con- 
front :  but  his  dignity  of  character,  his  prudence, 
his  firmness,  perseverance,  and  conscientiousness, 
carried  him  through  it  all;  and  he  enjoyed,  in  the 
last  twenty  years  of  his  ministry,  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  some  who  had  before,  sometimes  not 
on  good  grounds,  strongly  opposed  him.  The  last 
quarter-part  of  his  ministry  seems  to  have  been 
passed  in  almost  unbroken  harmony  with  his  people, 
with  the  exception  of  a  very  few  persons,  who  also 
were  inclined  to  signify  their  discontent  with  his 
successor. 

The  survey  of  our  church  history  would  be  quite 
incomplete,  were  we  not  to  include  some  account  of 
the  divisions  and  differences  above  referred  to,  which 
arose  near  the  commencement  of  the  Revolutionary 
War.  I  have  devoted  much  time  to  the  investigation 
of  their  causes  and  results,  by  means  of  the  records  of 
the  parish  as  well  as  the  church,  and  other  sources 
of  information.  The  conclusion,  to  my  mind,  is 
irresistible,  that  Eev.  Mr.  Sparhawk  was  thoroughly 


30 


conscientious  in  the  action  he  took;  though  in  one 
or  two  important  points  he  rested  upon  views,  as 
to  the  rights  of  the  churches,  which  were  then 
held,  indeed,  by  many  ministers,  but  which  are  now 
discarded  by  all,  and  which,  it  seems  probable,  he 
himself  later  in  life  abandoned.  The  opposition  to 
his  cause  was,  in  part,  factious.  There  were  those 
who  found  fault,  without  candor  or  reason,  or  sense 
of  common  justice.  There  were  others,  who,  in  a 
better  spirit,  considered  themselves  bound  to  resist 
his  course  as  derogatory  to  the  liberties  of  the 
churches,  and  inconsistent  with  our  Congregational 
principles.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  evident,  from  a 
careful  study  of  the  documents,  that,  except  in  the 
matters  in  which  Mr.  Sparhawk  was  acting  upon 
the  convictions  referred  to,  his  ministry  met  with 
no  valid  reproach.  The  frivolous  character  of  the 
complaints  brought  forward  in  any  other  direction, 
even  when  the  authors  were  in  the  height  of  con- 
troversy, show  conclusively  that  his  character  and 
work  were  such  as  might  endure  even  the  scrutiny 
of  enemies. 

In  explanation,  it  is  to  be  noted  that  he  was  strict 
and  faithful  in  his  administration  of  church  discipline. 
With  the  change  of  the  times,  this  is  now  far  less 
important,  relatively,  in  regard  to  the  tone  of  morals 
in  the  community,  than  it  was  in  the  early  periods  of 
the  country.  Every  thing  was  then  in  a  transition 
or  forming  state.  It  is  clear,  that  the  decided  stand 
taken  in  those  days  by  pastors  and  churches,  and 
enforced  by  requisition  of  confessions  and  by  suspen- 


31 


sions  and  exclusions,  had  a  most  material  influence 
towards  saving  the  New-England  population  —  both 
the  members  of  the  churches,  and  those  who  were 
not  so  —  from  the  peculiar  liabilities  to  habits  of 
immorality  to  which  they  were  exposed  by  the  cir- 
cumstances and  hardships  of  the  early  settlements. 
The  method  pursued  in  regard  to  the  intercourse  of 
churches  with  each  other  was  also  adapted,  at  that 
time,  to  secure  good  order  and  the  purity  of  the  mini- 
stry. The  few  cases  of  discipline  in  this  church, 
during  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry,  for  personal  immo- 
rality, seem  to  have  been  judiciously  and  impartially 
conducted,  and  salutary  in  their  effect.  But  the 
pastor  felt  it  a  duty  to  withhold  church  fellowship 
from  persons,  who,  without  conformity  to  established 
usages,  withdrew  from  communion,  or  who  had  been 
connected  with  unjustifiable  schisms  in  their  towns, 
or  violent  and  irregular  dismissions  of  the  settled 
pastors.  The  application  Mr.  Sparhawk  made  of 
these  principles  to  a  celebrated  controversy,  arising 
in  the  town  of  Bolton,  was  also  the  occasion  of  deve- 
loping his  views  of  the  prerogatives  of  a  pastor,  and 
especially  of  asserting,  on  his  part,  a  supposed  right 
to  veto  the  decisions  of  the  church.  By  this  means, 
he  was  brought  into  a  serious  controversy  with  a 
majority  of  his  church  and  people,  who  stood  up  for 
ecclesiastical  freedom  as  they  were  also  standing  for 
civil  liberty.  In  this  they  were  right,  though  they 
did  not  all  behave  in  a  good  spirit.  A  division  had 
taken  place  in  Bolton,  and  Mr.  Sparhawk  considered 
one  of  the  parties  disorderly  and  schismatic.     He  was 


32 


unwilling  that  a  person  adhering  to  that  party  should 
have  fellowship  and  communion  here.  But  this 
church,  after  deliberate  and  protracted  investigation 
in  reference  to  the  case  of  receiving  such  a  person, 
voted  contrary  to  their  pastor's  views,  by  a  majority 
of  two-thirds.  Mr.  Sparhawk  declared  his  non-con- 
currence, which  he  considered  equal  to  a  veto.  This 
was  not  admitted.  He  was,  however,  resolute  in 
his  position,  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  direct  the 
deacons  not  to  administer  the  sacrament  to  the  person 
from  Bolton,  whom  the  church  had  voted  at  liberty  to 
partake.* 

The  greater  part  of  the  members  were  unwilling 
actually  to  press  the  controversy  to  the  point  of 
separation  of  minister  and  people.  In  that  result 
it  would  have  ended,  had  there  not  been,  on  the  part 
of  the  majority,  a  spirit  of  conciliation ;  for  Mr.  Spar- 
hawk  was  evidently  prepared  to  undergo  any  trial  or 
sacrifice  whatever,  rather  than  yield  what  he  con- 
sidered a  pastor's  sacred  prerogative  and  duty,  —  to 
veto  decisions  of  his  church  which  he  deemed  wrong. 
Had  those  who  differed  from  him  insisted  upon  carry- 
ing out  their  views,  it  is  certain  he  would  have 
demanded  a  dismission.  A  great  majority  of  the 
ministers  of  the  Commonwealth  at  that  time  agreed 
with  him.  Prominent  among  those  who  held  that  a 
pastor's  dissenting  from  a  vote  of  a  church  rendered 
that  vote  a  nullity,  were  the  E-ev.  Zabdiel  Adams,  of 


*  About  a  year  and  a  half  afterwards,  the  church  voted,  by  a  majority,  to 
rescind  tlieir  original  vote. 


33 


Lunenburg;  and  Eev.  Mr.  Mellen,  of  Sterling.  The 
latter  person  practised  in  his  own  church,  in  regard 
to  the  Bolton  case,  on  precisely  the  same  ground  as 
Mr.  Sparhawk  did  here.  He  was  dismissed  in  con- 
sequence. The  Ecclesiastical  Council,  convoked  here 
in  1780  to  advise  the  church  and  pastor,  sustained 
his  position,  as  a  matter  of  privilege  in  his  office. 
Increase  Mather  wrote  in  favor  of  the  idea,  that  pas- 
tors hold  this  power  of  a  negative  voice.  On  the 
other  hand.  President  Stiles,  of  Yale  College,  and 
others,  declared  against  it.* 

The  question  that  had  been  brought  into  issue  was 
indeed  a  vital  one  for  the  religious  freedom  of  New 
England ;  but  it  is  instructive  to  see  how  much  better 
a  principle  of  truth  and  right  is  vindicated  by  the 
calm  and  patient  appeal  to  reason  and  conscience, 
and  the  waiting,  if  need  be,  for  the  judgment  of  pos- 
terity, than  by  angry  contest.  The  fathers  here  were 
satisfied  they  were  right  on  this  point.  They  knew 
it  was  a  most  important  issue  for  our  congregational 
liberties ;  but  they  also  knew  that  Mr.  Sparhawk  was 
sincere  in  his  opposite  opinion.  It  would  have  been 
easy  to  have  made  a  division  in  the  church  and  town, 
and  had  a  harsh  controversy  kept  up  for  long  years. 
There  w^re  some  in  the  church  and  parish  so  dis- 
posed ;   but  the  majority  in  both  wisely  determined, 


*  In  1782,  the  parties  in  Bolton  were  re-united;  and,  in  1783,  this  church  by 
vote  expressed  their  disposition  not  to  postpone  communion  any  longer  with  any 
part  of  that  church,  and  to  express  fellowship  with  its  members  without  exception. 
In  1785,  Eev.  Phineas  Wright  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  whole  body  there.  This 
church  attended  in  the  council. 

5 


34 


that,  while  they  would  retain  their  opinion,  Mr.  Spar- 
hawk  should  also  enjoy  his.  And  what  was  the 
result  ]  About  twenty  years  afterward,  as  the  records 
indicate,  Mr.  Sparhawk  himself,  probably  by  a  change 
in  his  own  views  gradually  wrought  out,  fully  recog- 
nized the  church's  independent  right  of  action ;  and 
now,  when  another  generation  has  made  its  calm 
review,  there  is  nowhere  any  church  or  minister  in 
the  whole  Congregational  body,  in  either  of  its  two 
great  branches,  that  admits  any  such  prerogative  in  a 
pastor  !  In  this  respect,  the  just  and  scriptural  prin- 
ciples of  our  liberty  have  fully  prevailed. 

May  we  not  believe  that  other  important  questions 
now  at  issue  among  the  churches,  and  their  discus^- 
sion,  too  often  attended  with  ill-temper  and  division, 
will,  in  another  generation,  be  settled  with  equal 
unanimity  and  truth  1  Though  Mr.  Sparhawk  was 
acting  upon  a  mistaken  theory,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  he  regarded  his  course  as  a  painful 
duty.  For  that  loyalty  to  his  own  convictions  he 
deserved  to  be  honored.  The  same  steadfastness  of 
principle  which  made  him  confront  so  decided  an 
opposition  among  his  people,  also  made  him,  in  other 
things,  a  faithful  minister  and  a  reliable  man.  Some, 
however,  continued  dissatisfied.  A  number  of  mem- 
bers absented  themselves  from  the  communion  for 
a  year  or  two.  This  difficulty  appears  to  have 
chiefly  subsided  in  the  course  of  the  years  1779 
and  1780.  Meanwhile,  however,  there  was  a  dis- 
position in  the  parish  to  manifest  opposition.  One 
of  the  most  effectual  grounds  for  the  discontented  to 


35 


take  at  that  day,  if  plausibility  could  be  given  to  it, 
would  be  to  assert  that  the  minister  was  not  friendly 
to  the  cause  of  the  American  Eevolution.  This 
course  they  took.  There  seems  to  have  been  little 
foundation  for  it.  No  doubt,  Mr.  Sparhawk  had  a 
wider  view^  than  some  of  the  people,  of  the  great 
difficulties  and  dangers  that  must  be  encountered 
by  the  feeble  Colonies  in  undertaking  to  resist  the 
mighty  power  of  Great  Britain.  He  was  not  ready 
to  encourage  every  violent  speech,  and  favor  any 
rash  enterprise  that  might  be  suggested,  in  the  revo- 
lutionary affairs.  Some  of  his  most  intimate  asso- 
ciates in  the  ministry  felt  rather  favorable  to  the 
cause  of  the  king.  But  there  is  no  evidence  that 
he  was  not  friendly  to  the  cause  of  liberty,  and 
desirous  of  the  success  of  the  Eevolution.  In  1774, 
a  fast  had  been  recommended  in  reference  to  the 
civil  troubles.  For  some  reason,  Mr.  Sparhawk 
made  no  appointment  to  observe  it.  The  town 
chose  a  committee  "  to  treat  with  him  on  account 
of  the  uneasiness  about  not  having  a  fast."  The 
result  seems  to  have  been  satisfactory,  though  it 
cannot  now  be  ascertained  what  the  grounds  were. 
He  was  accustomed  in  his  public  devotions  to 
pray  for  the  king,  and  continued  to  do  so  after 
hostilities  had  begun.  Some  of  the  people  waited 
upon  him  to  remonstrate.  One  may  fancy  the  quiet 
satisfaction  with  which  he  invited  these  gentlemen, 
a  few  months  after,  to  come  to  his  house  and 
advise  him;  "  for,"  said  he,  "  I  find  myself  in  a  diffi- 
culty.    You  complained  of  me,  and  said  a  patriotic 


36 


minister  ought  not  to  offer  public  prayers  for  King 
George  III. ;  and  now  I  have  received  a  circular 
from  the  American  Congress,  requesting  all  clergy- 
men to  offer  prayers  on  the  sabbath  in  behalf  of 
the  king  and  his  government,  and  that  the  Almighty- 
may  help  them  to  come  to  a  better  mind.  "What 
shall  I  do,  brethren  ?  "  Of  course,  they  had  to  allow 
that  the  recommendation  of  the  Congress  ought  to 
be  complied  with.  During  a  period  of  two  or  three 
years,  there  was  a  considerable  disposition  in  the 
parish  to  withhold  suitable  pecuniary  support ;  that 
is,  they  offered  payment  only  in  the  depreciated 
continental  paper-money.  From  1777  to  1780,  the 
paper-money  being  a  legal  currency,  the  nominal 
prices  of  every  thing  were  enormously  inflated.  They 
granted  each  year  only  the  amount  of  the  regular 
salary ;  which,  being  payable  in  this  paper-money,  he 
refrained  from  accepting.  In  1778,  he  proposed  to 
graduate  the  amount  of  salary  according  to  the 
scale  of  prices  as  they  stood  before  the  war.  The 
parish  declined ;  but  a  subscription  was  made  by 
individuals  towards  his  support.  But,  in  1779,  they 
voted,  on  articles,  to  see  whether  the  parish  would 
provide  for  his  "honorable  and  decent  support  as 
a  gospel  minister ;  "  that  his  salary  for  the  year 
previous  should  be  six  hundred  pounds  ;  and  that, 
for  the  year  ensuing,  —  the  paper-money  having 
further  depreciated,  —  it  should  be  twelve  hundred 
pounds  (equal  to  four  thousand  dollars).  Even  this, 
however,  did  not  cover  the  rapidly  advancing  depre- 
ciation.    These  votes  were  all  passed  by  very  small 


37 


majorities.  In  1780,  they  declined  to  make  addi- 
tional compensation.  A  precinct  meeting  was  warned 
with  articles  to  hear  and  take  into  consideration 
any  complaints  on  the  part  of  either  minister  or 
people.  This  being  intended  to  include  some  of 
the  differences  arising  out  of  the  votes  passed  in  the 
churchy  Mr.  Sparhawk  declined  to  attend,  on  the 
ground  that  an  ecclesiastical  council  was  the  only 
proper  tribunal.  Such  a  council  had  already  been 
invited  by  letters  missive  from  the  pastor  and  the 
church,  and  assembled  June  7,  1780.  They  justified 
Mr.  Sparhawk,  and  sanctioned  the  votes  of  the 
church.*  The  parish,  by  votes  at  different  times, 
manifested  their  unwillingness  to  have  Mr.  Spar- 
hawk leave  them ;  and  the  council  advised  against 
it,  provided  suitable  provision  should  be  made  for 
his  support.  He  had  declined  taking  any  of  the 
continental  bills  for  salary ;  and  they  now  ceased 
to  pass  as  currency  at  any  price.  His  salary  was  in 
arrears  for  five  years.  At  length,  in  the  beginning 
of  1782,  he  commenced  an  action  at  law  "  against 
the  First  Precinct  in  Templeton "  for  the  same. 
They  made  an  amicable  settlement,  and  promptly 
paid  the  whole,  with  interest,  in  compliance  with 
his  terms,  with  the  exception  of  a  hundred  and  sixty 
dollars,  which  he  had  offered  to  give  up,  as  he  said, 
"for  the  ease  and  relief  of  those  less  able  to  pay 
taxes ;  "  and,  "as  I  have  ever  been  kind  to  this 
people,  still  to    approve  myself  so,"  —  the   sum  to 

*  See  Appendix  F. 


38 


be  allowed,  according  to  the  discretion  of  the  assess- 
ors, as  deduction  from  particular  individuals'  taxes. 
It  was  also  made  by  Mr.  Sparhawk  a  condition  of 
this  settlement,  that  the  precinct  should,  the  same 
week,  pay  to  the  attorney  and  sheriff  all  costs  and 
charges,  and  bring  their  receipt.  Thus  the  affair 
ended.  Against  the  vote  of  the  parish  in  his 
favor,  in  1779,  a  number  of  voters  expressly  re- 
corded their  dissent ;  and  eight  of  them  filed  a 
written  protest,  assigning  their  reasons,  and  declar- 
ing, that,  in  their  opinion,  it  "would  be  more  to 
the  honor  of  God  and  religion  for  the  minister  and 
people  to  separate,  unless  there  may  be  a  speedy 
settlement  between  them."  The  reasons  assigned  in 
this  protest  for  their  dissatisfaction  are  thoroughly 
frivolous.  It  was  mainly  the  old  story,  which  has 
been  so  many  times  repeated  in  all  ages,  of  persons 
who  had  commenced  and  carried  on  controversy 
in  a  bitter  and  violent  spirit  turning  about,  and 
charging  the  other  party,  on  trifling  grounds,  with 
showing  a  want  of  Christian  meekness  and  forbear- 
ance. The  ministry  of  Mr.  Sparhawk  continued 
nearly  twenty-five  years  after  these  difficulties  were 
disposed  of;  and  we  hear  no  more  of  these  con- 
tentions. Most  of  the  dissenters  continued  under 
his  ministry ;  and  some,  at  least,  seemed  to  have 
been  cordially  attached  to  him  to  the  end  of  life. 
Some,  however,  among  whom  was  the  probable 
author  of  the  written  protest  referred  to,  became 
active  in  establishing  a  Baptist  society  in  the  town, 
which  was  organized  shortly  after. 


39 


The  formation  of  a  Baptist  church  in  this  town, 
and  the  withdrawal  to  it  of  a  number  of  the 
members  of  the  First  Church,  was  regarded  by  Mr. 
Sparhawk  as  a  serious  trial.  Undoubtedly  his  un- 
easiness was  not  so  much  on  account  of  their  devi- 
ating from  his  views,  as  because  they  made  it  a 
ground  of  division  and  separation.  The  whole 
number  of  members  who  withdrew  from  this  to 
the  Baptist  church  during  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry 
was  seventeen,  —  ten  men  and  seven  w^omen.  They 
were  not  "  dismissed  and  recommended,"  though 
some  of  them  had  requested  it :  -  but  this  was  on 
the  ground,  that  the  Baptist  churches  refused  to 
hold  communion  with  the  Congregationalist  churches, 
and  ^that  this  church  desired  not  "  to  trouble  any 
society  with  a  letter  of  dismission  which  was  pro- 
bably indisposed  to  have  special  fellowship  with 
this  church ;  "  *  and  also  on  the  ground,  often  reite- 
rated by  Mr.  Sparhawk,  that  the  convictions  any 
member  might  have  on  the  subject  of  baptism  were 
no  proper  reason  for  a  separation  from  it,  "  because 
those  of  this  church  are  free  and  willing  that  any 
of  the  members  of  it  should  satisfy  their  con- 
sciences in  regard  to  that  matter ; "  f  "  and  the 
church  does  not  require  of  them,  to  the  continuance 
of  their  communion,  any  thing  contrary  to  their 
present  judgment."  J  But  though  not  "dismissing 
and  recommending "  these   members,  in  the  techni- 


*  Church  Eecords,  vol.  i.  p.  74.  t  Ibid.  vol.  i.  p.  243. 

X  Ibid.  vol.  i.  p.  78. 


40 


cal  sense,  the  church  many  times  voted  its  willing- 
ness to  give  certificates  of  character  and  regular 
standing,  accompanied  with  declaration,  on  the  part 
of  the  church,  of  its  full  adherence  to  the  princi- 
ples of  the  right  of  private  judgment,  and  liberty  of 
conscience.  By  this  they  meant  liberty  to  with- 
draw from  the  church,  as  well  as  liberty  while 
remaining  in  it.  Those  whose  persuasions  led  them 
to  the  Baptist  denomination,  therefore,  quietly  with- 
drew without  censure.  Votes  to  this  efiect  were 
passed  in  1787,  and  were  renewed  at  various  times, 
especially  in  1793,  in  answer  to  a  request  from 
Samuel  Fisk,  who  had  become  a  Baptist,  and  desired, 
that,  "as  he  difiered  from  them  in  some  points  of 
religion,  he  might  be  dismissed."  On  this  applica- 
tion, it  was  voted,  "  That  the  pastor  signify  to  whom 
it  may  concern,  that  he  is  in  regular  standing  with 
this  church,  and  that  they  are  disposed,  on  occasion, 
to  recommend  him  accordingly ;  and  also  signify  that 
it  is  the  sense  and  mind  of  the  church,  every  person 
has  a  right  to  private  judgment,  and  liberty  of  con- 
science." *  No  narrower  ground  has  ever  been 
occupied  by  this  church.  Its  free  consent,  as  a 
permanent  standing  rule,  to  all  such  withdrawals 
for  conscience'  sake,  was,  upon  deliberate  considera- 
tion, affirmed  again  nearly  forty  years  afterward, — 
in  1832.t 

Looking   back   to    the   personal    ministrations    of 
Mr.  Sparhawk  for  so  long  a  period,  —  comprehend- 

*  Church  Records,  vol.  i.  p.  239. 

t  Records,  vol.  ii. ;  report  of  committee,  and  subsequent  votes. 


41 


ing  as  they  did  the  time  when  the  institutions  and 
character  of  our  town  were  forming,  and  taking  their 
tone,  —  how  impressive  is  the  contemplation  !  We 
may  imagine  those  scenes.  We  may  depict  to  our 
thoughts  that  congregation  which  assembled  so  regu- 
larly, summer  and  winter,  in  that  first  house  of  wor 
ship,  with  no  spire,  or  bell  sounding  its  invitations, 
and  which  was  never  warmed  in  the  coldest  season ; 
a  bare  shelter,  with  scarcely  any  attempt  at  adorn- 
ment, or  impression  upon  the  feelings  from  any 
source,  save  by  the  simple  majesty  and  sacredness 
of  the  idea  of  the  public  worship  of  the  Almighty 
on  his  hallowed  day,  and  by  the  truths  uttered  in 
the  services.  In  the  earlier  days,  the  assembly  con- 
sisted mostly  of  the  young  and  middle-aged:  for 
the  first  settlers,  very  many  of  them,  commenced  their 
homes  and  the  business  of  life  here;  and  so,  for 
some  years,  there  were  few  old  persons  among  them. 
They  had  but  little  store  of  this  world's  goods.  They 
made  no  pretensions  to  elegance  of  style  or  dress. 
They  were  robust,  hardy  men  and  women,  who  knew 
the  difficulties  of  the  wilderness,  and  were  not  afraid 
to  encounter  them.  Into  that  humble  edifice  came 
—  a  large  portion  from  distances  of  two,  three,  or 
more  miles  —  such  a  congregation  on  each  sabbath 
morning.  They  enter  at  doors  on  three  sides  of 
the  house,  and  take  their  places,  not  in  pews,  for  the 
most  part,  but  in  long  seats  which  occupied  the  cen- 
tral spaces  below  for  many  years,  and  the  galleries 
almost  wholly,  as  long  as  the  house  stood.  The 
men    sit    together    on   the  west   side ;    the  women, 

6 


42 


together  on  the  east.  The  singers,  for  the  first 
quarter  of  a  century,  it  seems,  were  accustomed  to 
sit  below,  in  the  seats  opposite  the  pulpit,  toward 
the  south  (that  is,  the  front)  door.  Not  till  after 
this  space  in  the  body  of  the  house  below  came  to 
be  fully  occupied  with  pews,  did  the  singers,  in  1785, 
resort  to  the  gallery ;  at  least,  such  is  the  only  in- 
ference now  to  be  drawn.  The  people  —  those  who 
do  not  occupy  pews  —  are  seated  both  below  and 
in  the  galleries,  according  to  an  order  of  precedence 
prescribed  by  a  committee  of  the  town,  —  the  seats 
most  eligible,  or  considered  most  dignified,  being 
occupied  by  those  taxed  for  the  most  property ;  and 
so  through  the  whole,  in  a  nicely  graduated  order. 
So  much  deference  did  the  fathers  seem  to  pay  to 
distinctions  of  worldly  prosperity,  even  in  the  house 
of  God.  And  yet,  perhaps,  it  was  not  quite  that ; 
for  as  good  order  was  thought  to  require  some  rule, 
and  some  permanency  of  place  for  each  one,  they 
might  adopt  that  standard  of  preference  simply 
for  want  of  any  better.  At  least,  they  knew  well, 
and  felt  it  in  their  inmost  souls,  that,  before  the 
great  Being  whom  they  came  to  worship,  all  were 
equal ;  that  he  looked  down  upon  them  with  no 
distinctions  save  of  character.  They  deemed  the 
disciples  of  Christ  possessed  all  of  equal  prerogative 
in  things  of  religion  and  ecclesiastical  order.  No 
decision  of  pope  or  bishop  or  presbytery  had  such 
weight  in  their  minds  as  the  simple  vote  of  the 
brethren  in  church-meeting  expressed,  attended  with 
no  form  or  ceremony ;   and,  because  their  Bible  had 


43 


taught  them  these  doctrines,  it  had  also  made  them 
free  as  citizens,  never  to  be  subjected  to  any  usurp- 
ing tyranny  of  king  or  parliament.  Such  was  the 
congregation.  Wlien  assembled,  their  good  pastor 
comes  to  meet  them.  He  is  clad  in  the  professional 
garb  of  the  times ;  always,  as  long  as  he  lived, 
wearing  the  ancient  "  small-clothes,"  with  bright 
silver  knee-buckles,  and  the  three-cornered  clerical 
hat.  He  was  of  middle  stature ;  his  appearance,  in 
the  latter  part  of  life  at  least,  striking  by  reason  of 
his  flowing  locks,  which  combined  with  his  general 
bearing  and  his  dress  to  impart  a  peculiarly  vene- 
rable aspect.  He  enters  the  pulpit,  and  conducts 
the  sacred  service  mainly  according  to  usages  of  the 
present  time.  The  psalm  or  hymn  is  sung  without 
accompaniment  of  any  musical  instruments ;  which, 
it  seems,  were  not  employed  here  till  near  the  close 
of  Mr.  Sparhawk's  life.  He  reads  a  portion  of 
Scripture.  Prayers  are  oflered.  The  sermon  is 
preached :  usually,  beyond  doubt,  it  was  well  writ- 
ten, sensible,  not  largely  imaginative  or  dealing 
much  with  metaphors  and  comparisons,  practical 
rather  than  speculative,*  and  delivered  with  dignity 
and  quiet  earnestness,  with  deliberate,  perhaps  some- 
what slow,  utterance.  When  the  benediction  w^as 
pronounced,  the  whole  congregation  waited  quietly 
in  their  places  till  the  minister  had  passed  out  of 
the  house. 


*  Not  many  of  his  writings  were  printed.  A  discourse  preached  Jan.  18,  1794, 
at  the  funeral  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Shattucl^,  was  published,  and  a  charge  given  at  the 
ordination  of  Rev.  Mr.  Esterbrook  at  Athol. 


44 


Upon  those  ministrations  of  religion  the  divine 
blessing  rested.  Within  the  walls  of  that  weather- 
beaten  sanctuary,  genuine  songs  of  praise  were  offered 
and  devout  prayers  addressed  to  the  Father  of  all. 
There  parents  brought  their  infants,  as  a  general 
custom ;  desiring  to  obtain  for  them,  by  the  rite  of 
baptism,  according  to  the  notions  of  the  time,  some 
special  impartation  of  divine  grace.  And,  by  that 
act  of  consecration  of  their  offspring  to  God,  the 
parents'  hearts  were  truly  moved  with  an  increased 
sensibility  to  the  things  of  religion,  and  their  duties 
in  the  Christian  nurture  of  the  children.  There  the 
Lord's  Supper  was  administered  with  its  tender  and 
hallowed  associations.  In  all  the  observances,  libe- 
ral, enlightened,  and  practical  views  of  Christianity 
and  of  personal  duty  prevailed.  But  a  change 
came.  Before  infirmities  of  advanced  age  should 
overcome  him,  the  pastor  was  called  away  from  his 
earthly  charge.  Mr.  Sparhawk  died  at  the  age  of 
sixty-seven,  of  apoplexy,  Nov.  25,  1805,  after  a  brief 
illness,  lasting  only  from  Thursday  to  the  Monday 
following.  The  sermon  at  his  funeral  was  preached 
by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Payson,  of  Bindge,  a  member  of  the 
Association  of  Ministers. 

During  his  ministry  of  forty-four  years,  Mr.  Spar- 
hawk  received  to  this  church,  by  profession,  two 
hundred  and  forty-five  persons,  —  a  hundred  men 
and  a  hundred  and  forty-five  women;  also,  by  let- 
ters of  dismission  and  recommendation,  from  other 
churches,  fifty-three  persons,  —  nineteen  men  and 
thirty-four    women.      A    number    of    the    members 


45 


lived  within  the  territory  of  Phillipston.  Twenty- 
five  persons  were  dismissed  from  this  church  to 
form  that  one.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  aknost 
the  whole  of  the  two  hundred  and  forty-five  mem- 
bers, received  upon  profession,  had  been  baptized 
here  or  elsewhere  in  their  infancy.  I  think  that 
Mr.  Sparhawk  in  his  whole  life  did  not  baptize 
more  than  ten  adults.  He  baptized  more  than  a 
thousand  infants. 

Mr.  Sparhawk  usually  enjoyed  good  health,  though 
he  was  never  of  strong  constitution.  He  was  a  per- 
son of  warm  friendships  and  a  generous  hospitality. 
He  was  a  good  and  correct  scholar.  He  had  a 
ready  and  accurate  memory.  It  is  evident,  by  many 
considerations,  that  he  was  superior  in  mind  and 
education  to  many  or  most  ministers  of  his  day  in 
this  neighborhood.  While  he  maintained  a  sort  of 
official  dignity,  which  perhaps  kept  young  persons 
especially  at  too  great  distance,  yet,  upon  acquaint- 
ance, he  was  courteous  and  afiable.  He  was  a  good 
man  from  principle.  He  was  conscientious  in  his 
house,  in  his  parish,  and  in  the  pulpit.  Pious  and 
faithful  in  his  ministry,  he  passed,  we  trust,  to  re- 
ceive the  reward  on  high. 

After  Mr.  Sparhawk's  death,  the  church  made 
choice  of  Eev.  Ezekiel  Bascom,  who  was  pastor 
at  Phillipston  (then  called  Gerry),  to  act  as  its 
moderator  till  the  settlement  of  another  pastor. 
Deacon  Paul  Kendall  was  also  chosen  assistant 
moderator  and  clerk.  A  special  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer,  in  consequence  of  his  death,  was  appointed 


46 


February,  1806  ;  and  Rev.  Messrs.  Lee,  Esterbrook, 
Bascom,  and  Osgood  were  invited  to  attend.  Only  a 
few  preachers,  except  the  neighboring  pastors,  sup- 
plied here  during  the  vacancy.  Rev.  Mr.  Grovesnor, 
a  man  about  sixty  years  old,  who  was  settled  in  Pax- 
ton,  in  this  county,  and  elsewhere,  preached  for  a 
time.  It  is  believed  there  were  but  three  who  were 
considered  as  "  candidates ;  "  namely,  Messrs.  Fisher, 
Ritchie,  and  Wellington.  The  first  (Mr.  Jesse 
Fisher)  was  a  native  of  Wendell,  Mass.,  and  a  gradu- 
ate of  Harvard  College  in  the  class  of  1803.  He  was 
for  some  time  teacher  in  the  New-Salem  Academy, 
and  was  ordained  and  settled  in  Connecticut.  He 
died  in  1836.  The  second  (Mr.  William  Ritchie)  was 
a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  College  in  the  class  of  1804. 
He  was  settled  as  pastor  of  the  First  Parish  in 
Needham,  where  he  had  a  long  and  useful  ministry. 
Both  these  studied  for  the  ministry  with  Rev.  Dr. 
Lathrop,  of  Springfield.  No  vote  was  taken  here 
in  regard  to  the  settlement  of  either  of  them. 

Nov.  17,  1806,  the  parish  and  the  church  con- 
curred, with  scarcely  a  dissenting  voice,  in  the  choice 
of  Mr.  Charles  Wellington  as  their  pastor.  They 
proposed  a  salary  of  fiye  hundred  dollars  per  annum ; 
and  the  amount  of  one  year's  salary  additional,  by 
way  of  "  settlement."  This  was  considered  a  liberal 
support,  according  to  the  standard  of  the  time.  Still, 
on  account  of  the  increase  of  prices  and  enhanced 
cost  of  living  generally,  it  was  then  probably  little, 
if  any,  better  than  was  originally  the  support  voted 
for  Mr.  Sparhawk  at  the  time  of  his  settlement. 


47 


Mr.  Wellington's  ordination  took  place  Feb.  25, 
1807.  A  council  of  nine  churches,  pastors  and 
delegates,  assembled  at  the  house  of  Deacon  Paul 
Kendall,  where  Mr.  Wellington  at  first  boarded. 
E,ev.  Dr.  Gushing,  of  Waltham,  was  moderator ; 
Rev.  Festus  Foster,  of  Petersham,  scribe.  The  ser- 
mon was  preached  by  Rev.  Dr.  Gushing,  of  Wal- 
tham ;  the  prayer  of  ordination  was  offered  by  Rev. 
Samuel  Kendall,  D.D.,  of  Weston;  the  charge  was 
by  Rev.  Joseph  Lee,  of  Royalston ;  the  right  hand 
of  fellowship  by  Rev.  Joseph  Esterbrook,  of  Athol ; 
introductory  and  concluding  prayers,  by  Rev.  John 
Foster,  of  Brighton,  and  Rev.  Jonathan  Osgood,  of 
Gardner.  The  other  pastors  present  in  council  were 
Rev.  E.  L.  Bascom  and  Rev.  James  Thompson.  The 
service  was  concluded  by  singing  Dr.  Watts's  version 
of  the  hundred  and  twenty-second  psalm,  — 

"  How  pleased  and  blest  was  I,"  &c., — 

which  was  read  before  pronouncing  the  benediction 
by  the  newly  consecrated  pastor.* 

The  town  at  that  time  contained  between  eleven  and 
twelve  hundred  inhabitants.  The  old  first  meeting- 
house was  still  in  use,  though  soon  to  be  exchanged 
for  the  present  one.  Almost  that  whole  generation 
has  passed  away.  There  are,  indeed,  a  considerable 
number  still  in  the  congregation  who  remember  that 
ordination-day ;  but  the  men  and  women  of  the  time, 


*  He  was  born  in  Waltham,  Feb.  20,  1780 ;  graduated  at  Harvard  College  in  the 
class  of  1802 ;  and  received  from  that  institution  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  in  1854. 


48 


who  bore  active  and  responsible  parts,  have  almost  all 
gone.  Only  three  or  four  of  the  communicants  v^hom 
he  first  met  here  at  the  Lord's  table  survive ;  and  only- 
one  still  resides  here,  and  retains  her  connection  with 
this  church.  But  the  pastoral  relation,  that  day 
formed,  still  continues ;  and,  at  the  end  of  almost  half 
a  century,  he  who  then  became  your  minister  is  with 
you ;  his  prayers  are  still  offered  up  in  the  congrega- 
tion, asking  that  as  God  was  with  the  fathers,  so  he 
may  be  with  the  children.  Still  does  he  bear  testi- 
mony to  that  cause  of  gospel  truth  and  righteousness 
which  he  has  so  long  and  faithfully  advocated  among 
this  people.  This  is  not  the  fitting  occasion  to  speak 
in  detail  of  the  characteristics  and  benefits  of  that 
ministry,  which  has  covered  almost  the  whole  of  the 
last  half-century  of  the  existence  of  this  church. 
Many  there  are  who  treasure  the  record  thereof  in 
their  hearts  as  a  precious  possession. 

Not  long  after  the  time  of  the  ordination,  the 
parish  voted  to  build  a  new  meeting-house.*  The 
old  house  was  raised,  July  3,  1753,  in  the  presence  of 
a  large  concourse,  many  of  whom  had  come  from 
Chockset,  now  Sterling.      The  vote  to  build  it  was 


*  The  proceedings  of  the  First  Pai'ish,  as  a  legal  corporation,  from  the  begin- 
ning till  now,  are  to  be  traced  in  the  "  Proprietors'  Records,"  vol.  i.  up  to  August, 
1754,  vol.  ii.  up  to  the  incorporation  of  the  town  in  1762;  thence  in  the  records  of 
the  town  of  Templeton,  vol.  i.  till  our  territoiy  in  Phillipston  was  set  off  as  a  sepa- 
rate precinct  in  1774;  thence  in  the  record-book  of  the  first  precinct  (in  the  office 
of  the  town-clerk,  and  which  was  also  used  by  the  selectmen  as  a  receipt-book),  till 
the  First  Parish  and  town  were  again  legally  identified  by  the  incorporation  of 
"Gerry"  in  1786;  thence  in  the  town-records  again,  vol.  ii.  till  1806,  when  the 
parish  took  an  organization  distinct  from  the  town ;  and  since,  in  the  First-Parish 
Records. 


49 


passed  by  the  proprietors,  May  8,  1751;  and  a  tax 
of  sixteen  shillings  was  laid  on  each  original  right  of 
land  in  the  township,  for  the  purpose.  An  addition 
to  this  tax  was  afterwards  made  of  four  shillings 
more.  A  location  was  selected  as  early  as  1743, 
perhaps  before,  probably  by  the  committee  chosen  in 
1734  to  lay  out  the  forty-acre  lots.  In  1752,  the 
building  committee  were  authorized  to  change  the  site 
within  a  distance  "  not  exceeding  forty  rods,  and  still 
on  the  same  original  lot."  The  house  stood  a  few 
rods  south-eastwardly  of  the  present  one,  fronting  to 
the  south,  so  that  the  front-door  looked  exactly  in  the 
direction  of  the  road  that  leads  from  Rev.  Dr.  "Wel- 
lington's house  hither.  The  whole  surrounding  land, 
at  the  time  of  the  erection  of  the  first  meeting-house, 
was  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  wood  and  timber. 
The  frame  of  the  house  was  of  chestnut,  and  was  all 
cut  —  so  the  oldest  member  of  this  congregation  has 
informed  me  —  upon  this  common.  When  the  house 
was  built,  there  still  were  standing  a  number  of  large 
original  trees  so  near  as  to  have  fallen  upon  it,  had 
they  been  blown  over.  After  the  first  minister  was 
settled,  a  child,  straying  from  the  meeting,  was  "  lost 
in  the  woods,"  on  the  common,  one  Sunday ;  and  the 
whole  congregation  turned  out  to  search  for  it.  The 
work  of  building  the  meeting-house  was  undertaken 
by  Mr.  John  Brooks,  from  Sterling.  The  timber  was 
to  be  furnished  by  the  proprietors,  who  also  were  to 
provide  for  the  glazing,  pulpit,  &c.  The  whole  cost 
in  money,  including  the  sums  appropriated  by  the 
town  a  few  years  later  "towards  finishing  it,"  was 


50 


about  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds,  —  equal 
to  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

In  1809,  it  was  agreed  to  build  the  present  meeting- 
house. Its  dimensions  are  almost  twice  that  of  the 
former  one ;  it  being  sixty-five  feet  in  length,  with 
projection  of  ^ye  feet  for  columns  in  front,  fifty-five 
feet  in  width,  and  posts  thirty-two  feet.  The  commit- 
tee for  the  purpose  were  Dr.  Josiah  Howe,  Benjamin 
Head,  Eden  Baldwin,  Leonard  Stone,  Deacon  Jonathan 
Cutting,  Jonathan  Cutting,  jun.,  and  Joshua  Richard- 
son. The  builders  were  Mr.  Elias  Carter,  of  Brim- 
field,  and  Mr.  Jonathan  Cutting,  jun.,  of  Templeton. 
The  raising  was  commenced  June  26,  1810;  and  the 
house  was  completed  in  September,  1811.  The  last 
service  in  the  old  house  was  held  Sept.  1,  1811.  It 
was  agreed  to  devote  the  old  building  for  the  pur- 
pose of  a  town-house ;  and,  being  moved  to  the  place 
where  now  stands  the  house  of  Mrs.  Lydia  Newton, 
it  was  so  occupied  for  about  thirty  years.  It  was 
then  taken  down ;  and  the  timbers,  being  found  in 
excellent  preservation,  now  compose  the  frame  of 
Mrs.  Newton's  house. 

What  sacred  and  impressive  associations  must 
there  have  been  filling  all  minds  on  leaving  the 
old  house !  "  Those  walls  had  resounded  with  all 
the  varying  notes  of  Christian  worship."  Within 
them,  how  many  devout  prayers  had  been  offered, 
how  many  lessons  of  heavenly  truth  been  inculcated ! 
How  many  of  a  generation,  then  already  nearly 
passed  away,  had  there  laid  upon  the  altar  of  God 
the  burden  of  their  hearts,  in  afiliction,  in  anxiety, 


51 


in  penitence,  and  also  in  faith,  hope,  and  charity! 
In  that  house,  too,  had  been  transacted  all  the  muni- 
cipal affairs  of  the  town  from  its  incorporation. 
There  the  fathers,  kindled  with  love  for  their  ancient 
birthright  of  freedom,  had  met  in  solemn  council 
on  that  tremendous  question  of  resistance  to  the 
usurping  attempts  of  their  king.  There  they  had 
passed  those  deliberate  votes,  expressing  nothing 
more  than  the  reality  of  their  high  and  stern  re- 
solve, whereby  they  determined,  that  "  if  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  should,  for  the  safety  of  these 
United  Colonies,  declare  them  independent  of  the 
kingdom  of  Great  Britain,  we,  the  said  inhabitants, 
do  solemnly  engage,  with  our  lives  and  fortunes,  to 
support  them  in  the  measure."  *  In  that  unadorned 
house  of  worship  they  had  learned  how  they  held 
their  freedom,  not  by  grant  of  Magna  Charta,  but  by 
the  will  of  God.  There  they  had  been  taught,  that 
piety  toward  him  is  the  only  sure  foundation  of 
justice  and  charity  toward  man.  The  day  which 
witnessed  the  final  parting  from  that  ancient  build- 
ing as  a  temple  of  worship  must  indeed  have  been 
of  most  affecting  interest.  An  appropriate  discourse 
was  preached  by  the  then  recently  settled  pastor, 
and  was  published  together  with  his  sermon  at  the 
dedication  of  the  new  house,  which  was  Sept.  19, 
1811.  The  enterprise  of  building  it  had  been 
carried  to  very  successful  completion  in  all  respects. 
Owing   to   the    difference    between    that    time    and 

*  Town  Records,  vol.  i.  p.  201,  May  24,  1776. 


52 


the  present  in  the  price  of  materials  and  labor,  the 
cost  Avas  less  than  half  of  what  it  would  be  now. 
The  whole  was  defrayed  by  sale  of  the  pews.  It  is 
said,  that,  at  the  time,  this  was  regarded  as  the 
best  meeting-house  in  the  county  of  Worcester.  It 
certainly  justified  the  commendation  given  in  the 
dedication  sermon  in  these  words  :  "  In  this  house 
we  discover  not  a  finical  nicety:  we  discover  a  just 
proportion  ;  we  see  a  majestic  simplicity ;  we  see  a 
simplicity  blended  with  much  elegance  and  beauty." 

The  public  spirit  of  the  people  was  further  shown 
by  the  purchase  at  that  time,  by  means  of  a  parish- 
tax,  of  the  first  bell  that  ever  called  the  people  of 
the  town  to  the  house  of  God.*  About  this  time, 
a  new  and  active  interest  was  felt  in  the  subject 
of  sacred  music;  and  the  choir  here  was  long  re- 
garded as  the  best  in  this  region.  Singing-schools 
were  provided,  in  part,  as  a  parochial  charge.  Musi- 
cal instruments  were  procured.  In  former  times, 
great  objections  were  felt  by  many  to  the  use  of 
instruments  in  the  services  of  the  sanctuary ;  it 
being  imagined  they  were  inconsistent  with  proper 
devotion.  So  late  as  1797,  it  was  a  great  satisfac- 
tion to  Mr.  Sparhawk,  that,  on  the  subject  being 
brought  up  in  a  church  meeting,  no  one  voted  for 
their  introduction. f  In  1804,  however,  the  town 
voted  "  to  have  the  bass-viol  used   in   the   meeting- 


*  Three  othei's  have  been  procured  since  by  this  parish,  as  successive  defects 
occurred;  namely,  in  1815,  1829,  and  1853. 

t  For  nearly  half  a  centuiy,  the  choice  of  choristers,  and  other  matters  relating 
to  singing,  were  determined  by  votes  of  the  church. 


53 


house."  The  organ  now  used  here  was  first  opened 
in  the  autumn  of  1832.  Mr.  Abel  Sanger,  of  War- 
wick, a  native  of  Templeton  and  an  eminent  musi- 
cian, left  by  his  will  seven  hundred  dollars  to  this 
parish  for  the  purchase  of  an  organ ;  and  the  builder, 
Mr.  William  M.  Goodrich,  also  a  native  of  this  place, 
generously,  and  to  his  honor,  furnished  for  that  sum 
the  present  instrument,  though  it  was  of  the  value 
of  a  thousand  dollars. 

Several  different  books  of  psalms  and  hymns  have 
been  used  in  the  public  devotions  of  this  church. 
The  first  book,  a  century  ago,  was  the  Psalms  of 
Sternhold  and  Hopkins.  This  was  a  version  of  the 
Hebrew  Psalms,  originally  used  three  hundred  years 
ago,  in  the  beginning  of  the  Protestant  Reformation. 
It  was  introduced  by  royal  authority  into  the  Eng- 
lish churches,  in  the  reign  of  King  Edward  VI.  Its 
lines  are  so  rugged  and  uncouth,  that  it  has  been 
described  by  calling  it  "  the  songs  of  David  with 
the  poetry  taken  out.''  Very  few  of  these  pieces  are 
now  thought  worthy  of  use  by  any  denomination. 
Yet  the  pioneers  here,  "  in  those  words,  no  doubt, 
worthily  uttered  the  praise  of  God."  They  loved 
it ;  and  it  was  a  sore  trial  to  some  of  them  *  when 
the  church  voted,  in  1762,  to  substitute  Tate  and 
Brady's  Psalms,  with  Watts's  Hymns.  These  psalms 
were  also  introduced  into  the  English  Established 
Church  by  royal  authority.     There  is  a  plain,  simple 


*  So  I  was  informed  by  the  late  Mrs.  Mary  Dolbear,  referring  especially  to  her 
father,  Z.  Barrett. 


54 


majesty  in  many  of  them ;  but  they  are  little  used 
in  modem  collections.  In  1791,  Watts's  Psalms  were 
substituted  for  Tate  and  Brady's.  This  change  also 
Avas  not  made  without  some  difficulty.  To  Dr.  Watts 
are  the  churches  of  Christ  more  indebted  than  to 
any  other  writer  for  their  words  of  sacred  song. 
There  are,  however,  great  diiferences  of  style  and 
sentiment  among  his  pieces:  some  of  them  have 
striking  and  serious  defects.  There  are  a  few  ex- 
pressions in  his  book  which  seem  to  deserve  the 
censure  laid  upon  them  by  an  eminent  living  clergy- 
man of  the  church  of  England,  when  he  calls  them 
"  shocking  words,  which  change  the  glory  of  the 
incorruptible  God  into  the  likeness  of  a  corruptible 
man."  But  notwithstanding  any  objections  or  defects 
noticeable  in  Watts's  Psalms  and  Hymns,  considered 
as  the  only  book  for  the  devotions  of  a  congregation, 
still,  in  great  part,  they  present  an  admirable  com- 
bination of  fervent  piety  with  beauty  and  strength ; 
and,  as  the  poet  Montgomery  has  said,  "  every  sab- 
bath, in  every  region  of  the  earth  where  his  native 
tongue  is  spoken,  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands 
of  voices  are  sending  the  sacrifices  of  prayer  and 
praise  to  God,  in  the  strains  which  he  prepared  for 
them  more  than  a  century  ago." 

Watts's  Psalms  and  Hymns  were  exclusively  used 
here  till  1827,  when  my  colleague  prepared  a  pam- 
phlet to  be  used  with  it,  containing  a  selection  of 
about  a  hundred  additional  hymns,  many  of  them 
in  metres  not  found  in  Watts.  These  hymns  were 
of  excellent  character,  and  proved  a  valuable  addi- 


55 


tion  to  the  services.  In  1839,  the  present  collection 
of  psalms  and  hymns  was  introduced.  It  was  com- 
piled by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Greenwood,  of  Boston; 
and,  with  the  best  pieces  of  Watts  and  Doddridge, 
comprises  also  a  wide  range  of  authors,  whose  hymns 
had  not  before  been  accessible  for  use  in  the  public 
services. 

As  already  indicated,  it  is  not  my  purpose,  in  these 
discourses,  to  go  into  much  detail  of  the  ministry  in 
the  second  half-century  of  the  church,  which  is  occu- 
pied by  the  pastorate  of  my  colleague.  In  several 
respects,  it  has  noticeable  coincidences  with  the  mini- 
stry of  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk.  It  was  during  the  time 
from  the  twentieth  to  the  thirtieth  year  of  the  last- 
named  ministry  that  the  secessions,  before  described, 
occurred ;  and  it  was  exactly  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury after  the  present  senior  pastor's  ordination  — 
namely,  in  March,  1832  —  that  the  first  request  was 
presented,  signed  by  eleven  members  of  the  church, 
for  dismission,  "  to  be  formed  into  a  Trinitarian  Con- 
gregational church."  The  church,  fully  recognizing 
the  principles  of  liberty  of  conscience,  voted  to  grant 
the  request.  Others  soon  after  withdrew  for  the 
same  purpose ;  the  whole  number  of  members  who 
have  been  dismissed  up  to  this  time,  to  join  the 
Trinitarian  church,  being  twenty-eight.  Of  course, 
this  secession  could  not  but  be  a  trial  to  the  feel- 
ings of  the  pastor,  who  had  been  with  them  in  so 
many  sacred  experiences  for  a  quarter  of  a  century ; 
had  ministered  to  them  according  to  such  light  as, 
in  his  honest  study  of  God's  word,  had  been  given 


56 


to  him.  But,  whatever  the  trial  might  have  been 
to  him,  I  believe  that  those  who  considered  it  a 
duty  to  withdraw  never  felt  that  they  had  occasion 
to  complain  of  the  spirit  in  which  their  former  pastor 
met  it.  More  recently,  other  societies  also  have  been 
formed  in  the  town.* 

After  a  time,  the  failing  health  of  the  pastor 
began  to  interrupt  the  constancy  of  his  public 
services.  Temporary  provision  was  made  by  the 
parish,  at  various  times,  for  his  aid  in  the  pulpit, 
especially  in  the  years  1839,  1840,  and  subsequently. 
In  1841,  the  settlement  of  a  colleague  was  contem- 
plated, and  Rev.  Daniel  B.  Parkhurst,  a  graduate  of 
Yale  College  in  the  class  of  1837,  invited  to  preach 
as  a  candidate ;  but  he  declined  to  receive  a  call. 

Rev.  Mr.  Wellington's  health  having  become  some- 
what improved,  he  supplied  a  large  part  of  the 
time  till  1843;  when,  it  being  found  that  his  health 
would  not  probably  enable  him  to  continue  in  the 
sole  charge  of  the  society,  an  arrangement  was  made, 
with  great  cordiality,  by  which  it  was  understood 
that  the  parish  would  settle  a  colleague ;  that  Mr. 
Wellington,  being  released  from  all  responsibility 
for  active  service,  should  continue  as  senior  pastor; 
and  that  his  salary  should  cease,  —  a  subscription, 
however,  being  made  to  pay  him  the  sum  of  one 
thousand  dollars.  This  arrangement  having  been 
completed,  the  parish  voted,  Oct.  4,  1843,  to  give  a 
call  to  Mr.  Edmund   B.  Willson  f  to  settle  as  col- 

*  See  Appendix  G.  f  Now  pastor  at  West  Roxbury,  Mass. 


57 


league  pastor.  This  invitation  was  declined.  A  call 
was  given,  Jan.  2,  1844,  to  Mr.  Norwood  Damon, 
and  accepted  by  him.  He  was  ordained  here  Feb. 
21,  1844.  The  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  F.  D. 
Huntington;  the  charge  was  by  Eev.  Alonzo  Hill; 
the  ordaining  prayer  was  offered  by  Eev.  N.  Gage  ; 
and  the  address  to  the  society  was  given  by  Eev.  Dr. 
Thompson.  Eev.  Mr.  Damon  resigned  his  ministry, 
Nov.  1,  1845.  The  supply  of  the  pulpit  was  then 
resumed  by  the  senior  pastor.  During  a  part  of  the 
winter,  he  was  assisted  by  several  members  of 
the  Cambridge  divinity-school  class  of  1846  ;  *  and 
afterward  he  preached  most  of  the  time  till  August 
of  the  same  year.  In  November,  a  call  was  given  to 
the  present  junior  pastor ;  and  my  ordination  as  col- 
league took  place  Jan.  13,  1847,  with  the  concurrence 
of  a  council  of  nine  churches.  The  Scripture  was 
read  by  the  senior  pastor ;  the  sermon  was  preached 
by  Eev.  Calvin  Lincoln,  of  Fitchburg;  and  the  or- 
daining prayer  offered  by  Eev.  William  H.  White, 
of  Littleton ;  —  the  charge  being  given  by  Eev.  Dr. 
Thompson,  of  Barre ;  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  by 
Eev.  S.  H.  Winkley,  of  Boston ;  and  the  address  to 
the  society  by  Eev.  Dr.  Barrett,  of  Boston. 


*  They  were  Messrs.  G.  F.  Clark,  F.  Mclntire,  L.  J.  Livermore,  and  E.  G. 
Adams.  Mr.  Livermore  (now  pastor  at  Clinton)  also  preached,  by  invitation  of 
the  parish  committee,  soon  after  he  left  the  theological  school,  but  declined  to 
receive  a  call  here.  These  —  with  the  other  persons  just  named  as  officiating  during 
Dr.  Wellington's  ill  health,  and  those  who  have  been  before  spoken  of  as  preachers 
here  previous  to  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ordination,  or  between  his  death  and  the  ordination 
of  the  senior  pastor  — I  believe  to  comprise  all  who,  from  the  vexy  first,  were  ever 
regarded  as  preaching  in  this  parish  in  the  capacity  of  "  candidates  for  settlement." 

8 


58 


A  few  weeks  after  that  time,  my  colleague  preached 
his  fortieth  anniversary  discourse  ;  and  a  kind  Pro- 
vidence has  granted  that  he  should  continue  among 
his  people  to  the  close  of  the  century,  still  officiating 
from  time  to  time,  as  his  strength  would  permit,  in 
all  the  sacred  ministrations  of  this  house  and  of  the 
pastoral  office.  In  how  many  of  your  dwellings  has 
his  voice  been  heard  in  prayer  for  the  household ! 
To  how  many  stricken  hearts  has  he  been  a  son  of 
consolation !  How  many  have  received  from  him 
their  early  and  lasting  impressions  of  religious  truth 
and  duty !  Almost  the  whole  of  those  to  whom  he 
here  first  administered  the  Christian  sacraments  have 
already  passed  on  to  experience,  in  the  spiritual 
world,  the  realities  contemplated  on  earth  only  by 
faith.  The  number  of  members  of  this  church  who, 
between  his  ordination  and  the  close  of  the  century, 
have  died  in  communion  with  it,  is  about  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty-five. 

Through  this  long  term  of  my  colleague's  ministry, 
the  customary  succession  of  sacred  services  has  been 
maintained.  The  unchanging  message  of  the  gospel 
has  been  delivered,  yet  in  its  ever-varying  adaptation 
to  the  changing  circumstances  of  the  community  and 
of  individuals.  During  this  time,  the  Sunday  School 
—  blessed  instrument  of  Christian  instruction  and  of 
spiritual  influence  —  was  established.  It  was  com- 
menced here  in  1827.  For  the  most  part,  its 
teachers  have  been  exceedingly  faithful,  well  quali- 
fied, and  persevering.  The  Sunday-school  Library 
has  been  instituted,  and  is  well   sustained  by  your 


59 


annual  contributions.  It  now  contains  upwards  of 
a  thousand  volumes,  and  is  a  source  of  great  good 
to  the  young. 

Missionary  associations  have  also  been  formed 
among  us,  to  enable  us  to  combine  our  interest,  and 
unite  our  pecuniary  aid,  which  has  been  bestowed 
in  generous  contributions,  to  assist  in  the  great  work 
and  duty  of  promoting  Christianity  abroad. 

The  Ladies'  Social  Circle,  under  its  present  organi- 
zation, was  first  formied  in  1835  ;  another  organiza- 
tion for  similar  purposes  having  existed  some  years 
previously.  The  purpose  of  the  Ladies'  Circle  is  to 
furnish  charitable  assistance  to  the  needy,  promote 
the  cause  of  Christianity  by  missionary  aid  and  in 
other  ways,  to  provide  a  library  for  the  use  of  its 
members,  and  to  encourage  mutual  acquaintance  and 
sympathy.  In  the  last  respect,  its  meetings  have 
been  of  great  value.  At  its  formation,  it  consisted 
of  thirty-six  members.  The  number  was  soon  after 
much  increased ;  and  a  general  interest  has  con- 
stantly been  manifested  in  it.  The  number  has 
varied  in  different  years ;  but,  on  an  average,  there 
have  been  about  seventy  members  for  each  year.  The 
funds  raised  by  means  of  the  annual  assessments, 
and  by  the  avails  of  their  industry  in  the  meetings, 
have  amounted,  during  the  period  of  the  existence 
of  the  Ladies'  Society  (beside  the  garments,  &c., 
given  away),  to  somewhat  over  a  thousand  dollars. 
The  number  of  volumes  collected  in  their  library  is 
about  six  hundred. 

As  the  century  is  closing,  a  substantial  provision 


60 


is  being  made  for  the  future  by  means  of  the  com- 
modious parsonage-house  which  the  generosity  of 
the  people  has  just  provided,  and  which  is  to  re- 
main as  the  possession  of  this  parish  so  long  as  the 
conditions  are  fulfilled  of  supporting  the  Christian 
ministry.  It  will  be  a  place,  I  trust,  around  which, 
as  the  permanent  dwelling-place  of  successive  mini- 
sters of  the  society,  pleasant  and  sacred  associations 
will  long  cluster.  Let  it  be  a  place  of  free  and 
happy  resort.  May  it  witness  the  unfolding  of  many 
a  spiritual  emotion  and  serious  thought,  and  many  a 
hallowed  confidence  in  the  pastor  of  the  flock,  even 
for  generations  to  come  ! 

Without  dwelling  further  on  instrumentalities  em- 
ployed or  provisions  made  during  the  last  half- 
century  of  our  existence,  I  will  proceed  to  a  brief 
summary  of  the  most  important  statistics  of  this 
church  for  the  whole  century. 

As  already  noticed,  there  have  been  only  two 
vacancies  in  the  pastoral  office,  from  the  beginning, 
through  the  whole  hundred  years.  Both  together 
amounted  to  about  three  years  and  a  half;  viz.,  from 
August,  1759,  to  November,  1761,  and  from  Novem- 
ber, 1805,  to  February,  1807.  The  number  of  per- 
sons belonging  to  the  church,  in  all,  has  been  five 
hundred  and  ninety-eight,  —  two  hundred  and  nine- 
teen men  and  three  hundred  and  seventy-nine 
women.  Of  these,  ninety-one  were  received  upon 
recommendation  from  other  churches ;  the  remainder, 
by  profession.  The  largest  number  received  in  any 
one  year,  by  profession,  was  twenty-five ;   namely,  in 


61 


1811.  In  the  respective  periods,  the  members  be- 
coming connected  with  the  church  were  as  follows : 
Original  founders,  before  Mr.  Pond's  ordination, 
twelve  men  ;  during  Rev.  Mr.  Pond's  ministry,  by 
profession,  two  men  and  two  women ;  during  the 
vacancy  following,  two  men,  by  letter ;  during  Eev. 
Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry,  a  hundred  men  and  a 
hundred  and  forty-five  w^omen  by  profession,  and 
nineteen  men  and  thirty-four  women  by  letter.  This 
just  completes  the  first  half-century.  In  the  second 
half,  members  have  been  received  as  follows :  Dur- 
ing the  vacancy  after  Mr.  Sparhawk's  death,  four 
men  and  four  women  by  letter,  and  one  woman  by 
profession  ;  and  during  Pev.  Dr.  Wellington's  mini- 
stry, including  the  time  since  the  settlement  of  a 
colleague,  by  profession,  seve'nty-two  men  and  a  hun- 
dred and  seventy-three  women ;  by  letter,  eight  men 
and  tw^enty  women. 

The  whole  number  received  to  this  church  in  Mr. 
Sparhawk's  ministry,  by  profession,  was  two  hundred 
and  forty-five.  The  number  so  received  in  Dr.  Wel- 
lington's ministry,  up  to  the  close  of  the  century, 
is  also  just  two  hundred  and  forty-five. 

The  whole  number  of  members  who  have  been 
dismissed  and  recommended  during  the  century,  or 
who  have  withdrawn  for  the  purpose  of  joining 
other  churches  or  of  forming  new  ones,  is  a  hundred 
and  ninety-six,  —  eighty-two  men  and  a  hundred  and 
fourteen  w^omen.  Of  these,  five  were  dismissed  to 
form  the  First  Church  in  Hubbardston,  which  was 
organized  in  1770;  twenty-five,  to  form  the  church 


62 


ill  Phillipston  in  1785,  or  to  join  it  soon  after; 
three,  to  form  the  First  Church  in  Gardner,  at  its 
organization  in  1786 ;  twenty,  in  all,  to  join  the 
Baptist  connection,  —  the  church  of  that  persuasion 
in  this  town  being  formed  in  1782;  twenty-eight,  at 
various  times,  to  become  members  of  the  Trinitarian 
church  in  this  town,  formed  in  1832.  Of  the  eighty- 
one  foregoing,  thirty-three  were  men ;  forty-eight, 
women.  Three  or  four  others,  originally  received  as 
members  here,  now  commune  elsewhere,  and  not 
with  us ;  having  made  no  request  for  dismission. 
There  have  been  dismissed  and  recommended  to  other 
churches  during  the  century,  in  consequence  of  their 
removal  to  various  places,  a  hundred  and  fifteen 
members,  —  forty-nine  men  and  sixty-six  women.  A 
considerable  number  also  have  moved  from  the  town, 
but  without  letters  of  dismission.  One  member  only 
has  been  excluded. 

The  practice  of  "  owning  the  covenant "  for  the 
purpose  of  having  baptism  for  children,  according 
to  a  pretty  general  custom  of  the  times,  was  con- 
siderably practised  in  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry. 
It  was  adopted  by  the  church,  May  7,  1758,  when 
they  voted,  "that  parents  and  others,  come  to  adult 
age,  should  receive  the  ordinance  of  baptism  for 
themselves  and  theirs  by  virtue  of  owning  the  cove- 
nant, and  thereto  stand  propounded  two  sabbaths." 
Under  this  vote,  ninety-five  persons  have  "owned 
the  covenant "  here,  —  forty-four  men  and  fifty-one 
women;  four  of  them  in  Rev.  Mr.  Pond's  ministry, 
the  rest   in  Mr.  Sparhawk's,  —  almost  all  of  them 


63 


before  1780.  A  large  number  of  tbese  were  after- 
ward received  to  "  full  communion,"  and  are  included 
in  the  numbers  already  given.  The  vote  just  quoted 
has  never  been  rescinded ;  the  church  expressly 
refusing  to  do  so,  July  30,  1807.  But  it  has  long 
been  obsolete.  In  fact,  no  person  has  "  owned  the 
covenant"  in  that  sense,  in  this  church,  since  1791. 

During  the  century,  there  have  been  sixteen 
hundred  and  forty-one  baptisms  in  this  church. 
Twenty-three  were  in  Rev.  Mr.  Pond's  ministry,  —  all 
children.  In  Eev.  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry,  there 
were  eleven  hundred  and  sixteen,  only  ten  of  them 
adults  ;  in  Rev.  Dr.  Wellington's,  the  number  is  five 
hundred  and  two,  of  whom  fifty-six  were  adults.  In 
the  two  intervals,  when  there  was  a  vacancy  in  the 
pastoral  office,  no  baptisms  are  recorded. 

The  varying  numbers  of  children  baptized  at  dif- 
ferent periods  may  serve  to  indicate  the  different 
states  of  public  sentiment  on  the  subject.  Thus  we 
find  that  the  average  of  baptisms  of  children  here, 
in  the  first  half-century  of  the  church,  was  twenty- 
two  per  annum ;  in  the  second  half-century,  the 
average  number  has  been  ten  per  annum.  In 
the  first  seven  years  of  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry,  the 
population  being  at  first  but  small,  the  number  was 
a  hundred  and  fifty-eight ;  but  in  the  next  fourteen 
years  of  his  ministry,  from  1768  to  1782,  there  were 
-^Ne  hundred  and  sixty  children  baptized,  —  an  ave- 
rage of  just  forty  a  year.     Yet,  in  his  last  fourteen 

years,  there  were  only  a  hundred  and  sixty-two, an 

average  of  about  twelve  a  year ;   and,  of  the  children 


64 


baptized  in  Dr.  Wellington's  ministry,  more  than 
four-fifths  were  in  the  first  twenty-five  years.  This 
striking  change,  which  has  thus  been  progressing  for 
upwards  of  sixty  years,  was  of  course  promoted,  in 
some  part,  by  the  formation  of  the  Baptist  society, 
and  the  influence  of  their  views.  But  it  is  evident 
that  the  extent  of  the  change  has  been  far  greater 
than  can  be  ascribed  to  that  source  alone.  This  is 
not  the  occasion  to  off'er  any  extended  remark  upon 
the  subject ;  but  I  cannot  refrain  from  suggesting, 
that  the  principal  cause  is  to  be  found  in  the  un- 
scriptural  and  untenable  views  of  the  rite  which 
were  prevalent  in  the  last  century.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  that  infant  baptism  was  then  often  regarded 
as,  in  itself^  an  efficacious  sacrament.  In  the  Roman- 
Catholic  church,  baptism,  whether  of  infants  or  of 
others,  had  been  regarded  as  a  saving  ordinance. 
The  spiritual  condition  of  a  baptized  child,  whether 
living  or  dying,  is  deemed  by  the  Roman  Catholics 
wholly  difi'erent  from  that  of  the  unbaptized.  After 
the  Protestant  Reformation,  this  rite,  being  still  re- 
tained as  a  sacrament,  continued  to  carry  with  it 
associations  more  or  less  similar.  The  Articles  and 
Catechism  of  the  Established  Church  of  England,  as 
well  as  the  writings  of  many  of  her  divines,  strongly 
indicated  the  theory  of  baptismal  regeneration  of 
infants.  In  the  theology  of  the  Puritans,  too,  there 
was  maintained  to  be  an  essential  difference,  as  to 
their  relations  to  the  divine  promises,  between  bap- 
tized and  unbaptized  children.  These  views,  not 
derived,  as  we  think,  from  Scripture,  but  inherited 


6o 


from  the  church  of  Rome,  pervaded,  to  a  great 
extent,  the  whole  body  of  the  people  in  New  Eng- 
land, though  with  more  or  less  vagueness  of  impres- 
sion as  to  their  doctrinal  basis.  They  thought,  that, 
in  the  act  of  baptism,  the  spiritual  condition  of  the 
infant  was  then  and  there  materially  changed.  I 
know  of  no  evidence  that  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk  him- 
self held  any  such  doctrine,  and  have  reason  to  think 
he  did  not.  But  it  is  unquestionable,  that  ideas  of 
the  sort  largely  influenced  the  people  throughout  the 
country.  This  explains  the  fact,  that  so  many  in- 
fants, seventy-five  and  a  hundred  years  ago,  were 
baptized  as  soon  as  practicable  after  birth,  very  often 
during  the  first  week  of  their  lives.  But  such  con- 
victions gradually  became  weakened,  or  faded  away. 
A  corresponding  alteration  of  the  practice  took  place. 
The  result  has  been,  that  now  the  number  of  bap- 
tisms of  infants  is  everywhere  small,  compared  with 
what  it  once  was.  It  has  served  as  an  instructive 
lesson  against  permitting  a  religious  usage  to  rest 
upon  irrational  grounds.  But  there  are  other 
grounds,  of  great  significance,  why  parents  should 
dedicate  their  offspring  to  God,  in  infancy,  by  this 
religious  rite.  Those  grounds  look  to  the  usage, 
not  as  the  observance  of  a  ritual  law,  nor  as  undis- 
tinguished from  the  personal  consecration  and  pro- 
fession of  faith  which  the  adult  believer  makes  of 
himself  by  receiving  baptism,  but  rather  as  an  im- 
pressive consecration  and  symbolic  rite  in  which 
the  parents  are  primarily  concerned,  and  the  child 
through   them.      When    parents,   believing    in   the 


66 


gospel,  thus  testify  their  desire  and  intent  that 
the  child  shall  grow  up  under  Christian  nurture, 
and  be  regarded,  from  the  first  dawning  of  its  intel- 
ligence, as  dedicated  to  its  heavenly  Father,  its 
Saviour,  and  the  influences  of  the  Divine  Spirit 
bestowed  from  the  Father  through  the  Son,  then 
the  spiritual  beauty  and  improvement  of  this  rite 
is  felt  with  power.  May  we  not  believe,  that  in 
coming  times,  on  a  more  just  and  scriptural  and 
practical  foundation  than  was  the  usage  of  the  past, 
such  consecrations  will  become  general  in  every 
Christian  community  1 

The  number  of  deaths  in  this  town,  or  funerals 
attended,  in  the  first  half-century,  was  not  recorded 
in  the  church-books ;  nor  are  there  means  for  deter- 
mining how  many  marriages  were  then  solemnized. 

I  proceed  to  complete  the  statistics  of  the  century, 
by  giving  the  number  of  councils  participated  in 
for  the  settlement  of  ministers ;  and  the  elections 
of  deacons.  The  number  of  ordaining  or  installing 
councils  which  this  church  has  attended  —  one  or 
more  delegates  being  always  appointed  beside  the  pas- 
tor —  is  fifty-seven.  Of  these,  twelve  were  in  the 
first  half-century,  and  forty-five  in  the  second. 

It  has  been  the  usual  practice  in  this  church  to 
have  three  deacons.  Five  difierent  persons  were 
chosen  and  accepted  during  the  first  half-century, 
and  ^ve  others  during  the  second  half.  The  first 
choice  was  made  in  March,  1763,  of  Charles  Baker, 
who  lived  on  the  Phillipston  territory.     He  did  not 


67 


accept  till  the  following  year,  upon  a  renewed  elec- 
tion. He  continued  in  office  till  the  formation  of 
the  church  in  Gerry,  in  1785.  In  1767,  two  others 
were  appointed,  —  Jonas  Wilder,  who  had  been 
chosen  in  December,  1763,  and  then  declined,  but 
now  accepted ;  and  Phineas  Byam,  who  at  first 
delayed  his  acceptance,  but  is  called  deacon  in  the 
records  a  few  months  after :  he  officiated  for  forty 
years.  In  1780,  Paul  Kendall  was  elected  deacon: 
he  served  about  forty-five  years.  In  1789,  Deacon 
Jonas  Wilder  having  previously  removed  to  Lancas- 
ter, N.H. ;  and  Deacon  Charles  Baker  been  dismissed, 
to  form,  with  others,  the  church  in  Gerry,  —  Jos i ah 
Wilder  was  appointed  deacon,  Timothy  Parker  hav- 
ing declined.  He  continued  upwards  of  a  quarter  of 
a  century.  In  1807,  on  the  death  of  Deacon  Byam, 
Jonathan  Cutting,  sen.,  was  elected :  he  resigned  in 
1830,  at  the  age  of  upwards  of  eighty  years.  Upon 
the  death  of  Deacon  Josiah  Wilder  in  1818,  Thomas 
Fisher  was  chosen.  He  died  about  four  years  after- 
ward, and  Deacon  Ezekiel  Partridge  was  appointed 
in  his  place.  In  1825,  Deacon  Paul  Kendall  having 
resigned  on  account  of  his  advanced  age,  the  church 
chose  his  son  Paul  Kendall  for  successor:  but  he 
declined,  as  did  also  John  Bigelow;  and  Deacon 
Jeremiah  Lord  was  chosen.  The  vacancy  caused 
by  Deacon  Cutting's  resignation  was  filled,  in  1830, 
by  the  election  of  Deacon  Leonard  Stone. 

Such  is  the  survey  of  our  past  history.      It  im- 
presses us  with  a  sense  of  gratitude  to  that  Providence 


68 


which,  watched  over  the  feeble  settlement,  and  has 
brought  it  to  the  days  of  its  strength,  and  established 
its  institutions.  It  impresses  us  also  with  a  sense  of 
reverence  and  honor  for  those  true-hearted  men  who 
laid  the  foundations  of  what  we  so  highly  prize. 

And  now  we  have  arrived  at  the  threshold  of  the 
second  century  of  our  religious  organizations  here. 
We  are  looking  forward  to  the  future.  What  a 
flood  of  thoughts  and  profound  emotions  rush  into 
the  mind  as  we  make  the  contemplation !  We  shall 
change,  and  pass  away.  A  few  years  now  suffice  to 
make  great  alterations,  by  death  and  changes  of  resi- 
dence, in  any  religious  society.  When  even  another 
half-century  has  gone,  how  few  of  all  this  congrega- 
tion will  be  here  !  —  how  few  of  us  then  will  be 
remaining  on  earth  !  And,  as  we  think  of  this,  let  us 
to-day  seriously  put  it  to  our  consciences,  how  we  are 
using  our  present  privileges,  and  what  we  ought  to 
ask  God  to  enable  us  to  do  for  the  future.  But, 
however  it  may  be  with  any  of  us,  these  institutions 
of  religion,  as  we  trust,  are  to  remain.  The  sacra- 
ments are  still  to  be  administered  here,  and  the  doors 
of  the  sanctuary  opened  for  the  public  worship  of 
God,  in  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  as  it  has 
been  for  a  hundred  years  past.  Here  the  Sunday 
school,  with  its  gospel  instructions  and  persuasions 
bearing  upon  the  tender  minds  of  the  young,  is  to 
be  perpetuated.  The  social  influences  of  Christianity 
are  to  be  cherished,  and  the  beautiful  neighborhood 
charities  of  our  religion  cultivated.  And,  as  we  look 
forward  to  the  century  now  to  come,  what  anticipa- 


69 


tions  —  joy  and  sorrow  mingling,  yet  hope  and 
encouragement  predominating  —  fill  the  vista  of  the 
years !  Great  changes  must  be  looked  for  in  the  fu- 
ture, as  well  as  in  the  past.  How  extensive  these 
changes  may  be,  we  know  not.  New  forms  and 
usages  may  displace  the  present,  as  ours,  in  some 
measure,  have  those  of  the  past.  More  light  may 
break  forth  from  God's  word.  Christian  philanthropy 
may  find  out  new  methods  and  new  objects.  Let  us 
trust  that  this  church  will  ever  be  candid  toward  all 
new  claims,  views,  and  obligations ;  that  its  members 
will  ever  seek  to  act  up  to  the  light  God  at  any  time 
giveth.  But  this  we  are  sure  of,  that,  amid  whatever 
changes  of  forms  and  usages,  principles  do  not  change. 
There  are  central  truths  of  religious  faith  and  duty, 
not  obscure,  nor  hard  to  receive,  by  which  Christianity 
exercises  all  its  practical  power  over  men.  These  are 
likewise  the  everlasting  principles,  in  harmony  with 
which  the  Almighty's  moral  government  over  his 
children  is  perpetually  administered.  These,  there- 
fore, are  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  for  ever. 
The  same  God  is  for  ever  to  be  worshipped  and 
obeyed ;  the  same  Saviour  for  ever  trusted  in  as  the 
Light  of  the  world,  as  the  divinely  appointed  Media- 
tor for  our  salvation.  And,  in  the  coming  century, 
on  this  basis  we  are  to  uphold  and  make  effectual  the 
institutions  that  have  been  transmitted  to  us.  We 
are  to  build  on  the  foundations  of  the  past. 

One  hope  and  expectation  cherished  by  the  fathers 
is,  indeed,  to  be  disappointed.  When  they  formed 
our  present  organization,  they  trusted  and  believed 


70 


that  their  posterity  here  would  be  united  together,  on 
the  broad  basis  of  our  simple  Congregational  platform 
and  usages,  into  one  church  fellowship,  —  into  one 
combined  Christian  co-operation.  That  anticipation 
is  not  fulfilled.  But  let  us  not  lament  over  the  divi- 
sions of  the  past.  We  may  trust  they  were,  at  least 
in  the  main,  conscientiously  taken  up.  Those  differ- 
ences and  separations  were  nothing  peculiar  to  this 
town,  but  are  similar  to  what  God's  providence  has 
permitted  to  exist  everywhere,  perhaps  to  be  over- 
ruled for  greater  results  than  we  now  comprehend. 
Consider  how  in  the  past,  and  now,  doctrinal  diver- 
sities have  always  accompanied  freedom  ;  and  how 
many  separations  have  arisen,  in  consequence,  among 
those  that  alike  acknowledge  the  authority  of  Jesus 
Christ,  and  receive  the  same  written  word.  Surely 
it  must  be  a  disheartening  contemplation  to  any  one, 
whatever  his  own  views  may  be,  if  he  cannot  think 
that  all  this  is  really  of  providential  import.  Sad 
and  gloomy  must  be  the  anticipation  to  one  who 
cannot  think  that  —  to  be  controlled,  at  length,  by 
the  power  of  the  common  faith  in  the  one  Lord  and 
Master  of  us  all  —  these  diversities  are  working 
together  as  a  part  of  that  mighty  combination  of 
influences,  guided  by  the  Divine  Spirit,  which  shall 
bring  in  the  time  when  the  nations  of  the  world  will 
become  obedient  unto  our  God  and  his  Christ. 

But  let  us  judge  as  we  may  as  to  any  doctrines 
or  creeds  in  their  abstract  or  practical  import,  the 
existing  separations,  while  they  continue,  may  be 
conducted  honorably  and  amicably.     We  have  agreed 


71 


to  diifer.  It  remains  for  this  church  of  Christ,  on 
the  foundation  of  its  own  conscientious  convictions  of 
truth  and  duty,  to  persevere,  in  the  century  to  come, 
in  fulfilling  the  trust  we  have  received  from  the 
past.  We  are  not  chained  down  to  any  traditional, 
human  articles  of  speculative  doctrine.  This  church 
never  adopted  any  sectarian  name  or  pledges.  It  is 
not  unity  of  doctrinal  opinion  that  we  need  or  require, 
but  the  loving  surrender  of  the  heart  to  Christ  as 
the  Lord  of  all ;  sincere  repentance  for  sin ;  prayer 
and  daily  struggle  for  that  "  holiness  without  which 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  In  the  oneness  of  this 
faith,  in  the  bond  of  charity  and  peace,  maintaining 
the  same  broad  platform  of  fellowship  as  was  here 
of  old,  we  offer  a  cordial  greeting  to  all,  of  every 
name,  who  take  Christ  for  their  Master  and  Saviour, 
and  receive  the  Scriptures  as  containing  the  rule  for 
their  faith  and  practice.  Accordingly,  there  are  and 
always  have  been  among  us  differences  of  views  as 
to  the  meaning  of  passages  of  Scripture  and  as  to 
doctrinal  conclusions.  "Why  should  it  not  be  so  ? 
Why  should  not  neighbors  and  friends  worship  to- 
gether and  work  together,  and  cherish  a  mutual 
fellowship,  even  if  they  do  come  to  different  con- 
clusions on  those  points  which  have  exercised  the 
minds  of  thinking  men  for  so  many  ages,  and  on 
which  the  wisest  and  best  of  mankind  have  differed  % 
This  is  the  position  we  take ;  and  whether  it  is  one 
right  and  safe,  and  for  the  good  of  the  cause  of 
religion,  let  experience  and  the  judgment  of  posterity 
decide. 


72 


As  we  go  forward  in  the  coming  century  to  the 
responsibilities  that  lie  before  us,  let  it  be  with 
gratitude  and  hope.  We  have  the  inheritance  of 
our  institutions  from  the  past.  We  have  its  sacred 
memories  to  encourage  us  on.  See  to  it,  my  friends, 
that  you  fulfil  the  duties  which  rest  upon  you  to  sus- 
tain these  institutions.  Cherish  not  only  a  care  for 
the  religious  welfare  of  your  own  borders,  but  like- 
wise an  active  and  generous  missionary  spirit.  Culti- 
vate enlarged  Christian  sympathies  with  humanity 
everywhere.  Cherish  refined  and  ennobling  social 
influences,  attended  by  considerate  and  adequate 
charities.  Take  heed  to  all  that  belongs  to  the 
religious  education  of  the  young,  not  only  in  the 
Sunday  school,  but  still  more  at  home.  Reverence 
all  Christian  rites.  Encourage  the  regular  attend- 
ance on  public  worship.  Come  into  the  house  of 
God  to  offer  personally  the  sacrifices  of  praise  and 
prayer.  Speak  often  one  to  another  of  these  things. 
Bring  hither  hearts  touched  with  a  genuine  contri- 
tion, and  looking  upward  for  the  offered  mercy.  And, 
with  the  growth  of  your  own  faith,  knowledge,  piety, 
and  charity,  work  onward  in  anticipation  of  the  gra- 
dual diffusion,  far  and  wide,  of  a  free,  pure,  rational, 
practical  Christianity.  Let  us  try  to  do  each  our 
part  "  in  this  great  work  of  ages."  As  we  are  blessed 
now  by  what  the  fathers  handed  down  to  us,  at  such 
cost  and  with  such  exertion  on  their  part,  so  let  us 
transmit  what  shall  bless  the  generation  to  come. 
Meanwhile,  it  is  for  us  to  show  the  value  of  our 
faith  by  its  fruits.     The  strength  of  that  testimony 


73 


to  the  century  now  before  us  will  depend  upon  the 
tone  and  spirit  of  the  Christian  life  that  shall  be 
nurtured  here.  It  will  be  determined  by  the  vigor 
and  comprehensiveness  of  our  benevolence ;  by  the 
fidelity  shown  to  our  missionary  duties  ;  by  the  fer- 
vency and  genuineness  of  our  devotion,  public  and 
private;  by  the  measure  of  our  experience  of  the 
gospel's  power  to  support  the  soul  in  temptation,  in 
affliction,  and  in  the  hour  of  death. 

God  grant  that  here  the  persuasions  of  our  religion 
may  long  continue  to  make  their  way  to  many  hearts  ! 
Here  may  disciples  of  Christ  long  strengthen  each 
other  in  every  practical  duty  taught  by  our  faith  ! 
Here  may  they  unite,  in  hallowed  sympathy,  gene- 
ration after  generation,  worshipping  the  common 
Father  of  all  through  the  one  only  Saviour,  and  seek- 
ing the  life-giving  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
Comforter  sent  down  from  heaven ! 


10 


APPENDIX. 


Note  A.  —  Page  4. 


GEANT    OF    THE    TOWNSHIP. 


The  lands  here  were  regarded  as  the  property  of  the  Pro- 
vince of  Massachusetts.  The  Legislature,  in  the  last  century, 
granted  public  lands  more  with  reference  to  the  policy  of 
opening  new  settlements  than  with  a  view  to  making  them 
a  source  of  profit  to  the  treasury.  In  1728,  application  was 
made  to  the  General  Court  for  grants  of  wild  lands  in  com- 
pensation for  military  services  in  the  Narraganset-Indian 
War.  The  merciless  destruction  of  those  Indians  and  their 
habitations  took  place  in  1675  ;  but  certain  promises  made 
to  the  soldiers  to  give  them  gratuities  in  land  had  never 
been  fulfilled.  Those  claims,  though  fifty  years  old,  were 
brought  forward  by  the  soldiers  who  survived  and  ]jy  the 
heirs  of  others,  and  were  recognized  by  the  General  Court, 
June  15,  1728.  It  granted  two  townships,  each  of  six  miles 
square,  and  ordered  notices  to  be  posted  up  in  every  town 
in  the  Province,  for  soldiers  and  their  representatives  to 
present  evidence  of  their  claims.  A  convention  of  those 
who  brought  forward  their  claims  was  ordered  to  be  held  in 
the  summer  of  1730.  They  were  ordered  to  meet,  not 
in  Boston,  but  in  Caml)ridge,  "  by  reason  of  the  small-pox 
being  then  in  Boston."  At  that  meeting,  the  number  of 
those  entitled  was  found  to  be  much  larger  than  had  been 


76 


expected;  and  Thomas  Tileston,  Esq.,  and  others,  were 
made  a  committee  to  ask  the  General  Court  for  more  town- 
ships. They  were  directed  by  the  General  Court  to  meet 
again,  in  Boston,  in  the  autumn,  "  as  the  distemper  is  now 
out  of  Boston."  The  petition  for  more  land  was  acted  upon 
favorably  by  the  House  of  Representatives,  Dec.  30,  1730 ; 
and  it  was  determined,  June  1, 1731,  that  every  one  hundred 
and  twenty  grantees  should  have  six  miles  square  of  land. 
A  list  of  those  entitled  to  receive  land  was  presented  in  the 
House  of  Representatives,  and  accepted,  Jan.  17, 1731  (old 
style).  The  concurrence  of  the  Executive  Council  and  of 
the  Governor  was  still  necessary  to  give  validity  to  the 
grant ;  there  being  no  Senate  during  the  Provincial  govern- 
ment. On  the  next  day,  Jan.  18,  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, anxious  for  the  passage  of  the  grant,  sent  a  special 
message  to  the  Council  Board,  urging  the  justice  of  the 
measure,  and  setting  forth  earnestly  and  eloquently  the  valor 
and  merit  of  the  soldiers  engaged  in  the  Narraganset  expe- 
dition. The  fact  of  the  promises  concerning  land  having 
been  made  to  them  was  stated  in  this  message  in  the  follow- 
ing words :  "  A  proclamation  was  made  to  the  army,  in  the 
name  of  the  government,  when  they  were  mustered  on 
Dedham  Plain,  where  they  began  their  march,  that  if  they 
played  the  man,  took  the  fort,  and  drove  the  enemy  out  of 
the  Narraganset  country  (which  was  their  great  seat),  they 
should  have  a  gratuity  in  land,  beside  their  wages."  In 
June,  1732,  further  claims  of  soldiers  were  allowed,  under 
the  authority  of  a  committee  ;  and  a  township  was  drawn  by 
each  one  hundred  and  twenty.  The  township  drawn  at  that 
time  by  our  proprietors  seems  to  have  been  within  the  terri- 
tory of  New  Hampshire,  "  west  of  Ponocook  and  Suncook." 
The  Narraganset  township  No.  3  was  the  present  town  of 
Mount  Yernon,  N.H.  ;  and  No.  5  was  the  present  town 
of  Bedford,  N.H.  But,  in  1745,  the  courts  decided  that 
under  the  grant  by  King  James  I.  to  Capt.  John  Mason, 
in  1621,  his  great-grandson,  John  Tufton  Mason,  was  enti- 
tled to  an  immense  territory  in  New  Hampshire,  includ- 


77 


ing  the  Narraganset  townships  above  named.  Tlic  titles 
to  those  lands,  resting  upon  the  grant  from  the  General 
Court  of  Massachusetts,  of  course  failed.  The  owners  of  the 
Mason  title,  however,  were  disposed  to  make  liberal  terms 
with  actual  settlers.  In  October,  1783,  our  proprietors,  not 
liking  the  tract  first  assigned,  voted  to  lay  out  a  township 
here,  "  on  the  back  of  Rutlaiid,"  —  the  boundaries  of  Rut- 
land at  that  time  comprehending  Barre,  which  was  called 
"  Rutland  District,"  —  to  be  in  place  of  the  one  they  drew 
the  year  before  at  Boston  ;  and,  in  February  following,  the 
location  and  survey  were  accepted  and  confirmed,  agreeably 
to  the  following  extract  from  the  records  of  the  General 
Court.  The  date  is  old  style,  and  corresponds  to  Feb.  23, 
1734 :  — 

Tuesday,  Feb.  12,  1733. 

A  plat  of  a  township  for  the  Narraganset  soldiers,  bounded 
south-westerly  on  the  township  granted  to  Capt.  Lovel's  soldiers ;  * 
south-easterly  mostly  on  Rutland,!  and  partly  on  the  Narraganset 
township  No.  2  by  Wacliusett ;  |  north-easterly  partly  on  said  town- 
ship, and  partly  on  unappropriated  land,  and  partly  on  the  new 
township  laid  out  on  Miller  s  River ;  §  beginning  at  Rutland  north- 
erly corner,  and  running  north  thirty-nine  degrees  west  by  the 
needle,  three  hundred  and  ten  perch,  to  a  hemlock ;  from  thence, 
west  eighteen  degrees  north,  three  hundred  and  forty  perch,  to  a 
white  pine ;  from  thence,  north  thirty-four  degrees  west,  one  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  eighty  perch  (to  the  said  province  town) ; 
from  thence,  south,  three  hundred  perch,  to  a  white  pine ;  from 
thence,  eight  hundred  and  sixty  perch,  to  a  beach-tree,  the  north- 
easterly corner  of  the  said  town  granted  to  Capt.  Lovel's  soldiers  ; 
from  thence,  south  thirty-four  degrees  east,  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  twenty-four  perch,  to  a  heap  of  stones  in  Rutland  line ; 
from  thence,  east  thirty  degrees  north,  to  the  place  where  it  began : 
—  being  the  contents  of  six  miles  square,  and  an  allowance  of  three 
hundred  acres  for  the  Mine  Farm  (so  called),  and  a  hundred  acres 
for  a  pond  in  said  tract. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  read,  and  ordered  that  the  plat 
be  accepted,  and  that  the  lands  set  forth  and  described  in  the  within 
plat  of  the  Narraganset  township  No.  6  (exclusive  of  the  Mine 
Farm,  so  called)  be  and  hereby  are  confirmed  to  a  hundred  and 
twenty  of  the  original  grantees,  their  heirs  and  assigns,  —  viz.,  that 


Petersham,      f  The  part  which  is  now  Barre.      t  Westminster.     4  Athol. 


78 


society  of  them  of  which  Mr.  Samuel  Chandler  and  others  were 
appointed  a  committee  for  regulating  the  said  township  No.  6  (so 
called),  at  a  general  meeting  of  the  grantees  the  6th  of  June,  as  by 
their  votes  and  orders  may  appear,  —  provided  the  plat  contains  no 
more  than  the  quantity  of  land  within  mentioned,  and  does  not  inter- 
fere with  any  former  grants. 

In  Council,  read,  and  concurred. 

Consented  to,         J.  Belcher 

[Governor], 


Note  B.  —  Page  8. 

FORTY- A  CUE     HOUSE-LOTS. 

These  lots  were  designed  for  earliest  cultivation.  The 
committee  appointed  by  the  proprietors  to  lay  out  the  lots 
consisted  of  Samuel  Chandler,  James  Jones,  Joshua  Richard- 
son, John  Longley,  and  Joseph  Fassett.  Mr.  Chandler  and 
his  son  were  paid  for  twenty-three  days'  time  in  lotting  out 
the  town.  Jonas  Houghton,  and  Messrs.  Hosmer,  Jones, 
and  Farrar,  were  paid,  June  25,  1735,  for  their  services  as 
siirveyors.  There  must  have  been  considerable  inconve- 
nience and  want  of  economy  in  the  mode  adopted  of  laying 
out  all  the  forty-acre  lots  before  it  had  been  fully  decided 
where  the  roads  of  the  township  should  be  located ;  though, 
in  a  portion  of  the  surveyed  lots,  mention  is  made  of  reserva- 
tions for  roads  through  them.  It  was,  moreover,  voted,  in 
January  following,  that  any  proprietors  that  should  "  be 
uneasy  with  the  lots  they  had  drawn  have  liberty  to  drop 
them,  and  lay  out  forty-five  acres  of  any  of  the  upland  not 
lotted  out,  doing  it  at  their  own  cost,  within  two  years 
[and  making  their  lots],  in  a  regular  form."  May  8,  1751, 
similar  leave  was  granted,  provided  it  should  be  done  within 
six  weeks,  and  the  quantity  taken  not  more  than  forty  acres. 
It  was  a  condition  of  the  grant  by  the  Legislature,  that  sixty 
families  should  be  settled  on   as  many  lots  within  seven 


79 


years.  In  1787,  it  was  voted  l)y  the  ]>roi)rietors,  that  the 
owners  of  sixty  of  tlie  lots,  designated  by  drawing  nnnil)ers, 
sliould  pay  into  tlie  treasury  the  sum  of  twelve  pounds  each, 
old  tenor,  and  that  the  other  sixty  lots  should  be  settled 
within  three  years,  and  that  each  proprietor  who  settled  his 
lot  should  receive  eight  pounds  from  the  treasury  out  of  the 
money  paid  by  the  "  non-settlers."  But  it  was  not  found 
practicable  to  effect  settlements  so  early.  The  General 
Court  allowed  some  delay  ;  and  it  was  voted,  Sept.  16, 1742, 
that  any,  who,  within  two  years  from  that  time,  would  settle 
their  lots  according  to  the  required  terms,  should  be  entitled 
to  the  eight  pounds.  But  settlers  did  not  come  in  ;  and  the 
proprietors  voted,  in  1743,  to  give  twelve  pounds,  old-tenor 
currency,  additional  to  the  former  bounty,  to  each  of  the 
first  ten  or  any  smaller  number  of  families,  who,  before 
Sept.  1,  1744,  would  "  build  a  good  dwelling-house,  and  in- 
habit the  same,  agreeably  to  the  act  of  the  Great  and 
General  Court,  and  be  an  inhabitant  in  said  township  at 
that  time."  But  the  war  between  France  and  England 
which  immediately  came  on,  and  in  which  many  Indian 
tribes  were  engaged  as  allies  of  the  French,  wholly  sus- 
pended, for  several  years,  all  plans  of  building,  or  cultivat- 
ing land,  within  the  township.  The  proprietors  held  no 
meeting  for  the  transaction  of  business  between  March, 
1744,  and  October,  1749 ;  peace  having  been  declared  pre- 
vious to  the  last-named  date. 


Note  C.  —  Page  10. 

MINE  HILL. 


The  idea  of  the  existence  of  mines  in  this  township  seems 
to  have  rested  upon  the  peculiarities  of  Mine  Hill,  near  the 
Hubbardston  line.  The  hill  and  its  neighborhood  abound 
in   sulphuret   of   iron.      Whitney's   History  of  Worcester 


80 


County,  ptiblislied  in  1793,  states  that  this  hill  was  granted 
to  Capt.  Andrew  Robinson,  of  Gloucester,  some  time  before 
the  original  grant  of  the  township.  I  have  made  search, 
in  the  records  at  the  State  House,  to  find  the  time  and  con- 
ditions of  this  grant  to  Capt.  Robinson,  but  without  success. 
Some  record,  however,  may  exist. 

It  will  be  noticed,  that,  in  the  grant  by  the  General  Court 
of  the  title  to  this  township,  mention  is  made  of  allowing 
three  hundred  acres  extra,  in  the  dimensions  of  the  sur- 
veyed plot,  in  consideration  of  reserving  the  Mine  Farm 
from  the  grant.  That  tract  was  finally  sold  by  vote  of 
the  proprietors  in  1787.  The  land  being  contained  within 
their  boundaries,  it  might  have  been  considered  that  the 
ancient  grant  prior  to  theirs  had  lapsed  in  their  favor.  It 
would  seem,  however,  that  the  legal  title  must  have  been 
either  in  the  representatives  of  Capt.  Robinson,  or  in  the 
Commonwealth.  According  to  Whitney's  History,  a  com- 
pany of  gentlemen  from  Boston  and  elsewhere  undertook, 
previous  to  the  first  settling  of  the  town,  to  carry  on  mining 
on  that  hill.  He  says,  "  They  dug  several  rods  into  the  hill 
in  quest'  of  a  silver  mine ;  but  whether  it  answered  their 
expectations  or  not,  was  not  divulged."  We  may  safely 
presume  it  did  not ;  though  Mr.  Whitney  seems  to  suppose 
the  work  would  have  been  carried  further,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  breaking  out  of  the  French  and  Indian  War,  and 
that  rich  mines  might,  not  improbably,  really  exist  there. 
The  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  such  an  excavation  was 
for  a  long  time  lost.  The  cave  was  discovered  in  1824. 
It  extends  fifty-seven  feet  and  a  half,  dug  into  the  solid 
rock. 


Note  D.  —  Page  27. 

The  following  extract  from  Rev.  Mr.  Buckminster's  Ser- 
mon at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Sparhawk  (pp.  11,  12)  may 
serve  as  a  specimen,  and  to  justify  the  commendation  given 


81 

in  the  discourse.     They  are  noble  sentiments,  and  as  fitting 
now  as  they  were  a  century  ago  :  — 

Ministers  should,  by  rights,  have  no  little  insight  into  the  original 
languages  (those  in  which  the  Scriptures  were  written),  that  they 
may  drink  at  the  fountain  where  the  waters  are  purest,  no  foot 
having  defiled  them ;  that  they  may  see  with  their  own  eyes,  and 
not  take  every  thing  upon  trust  from  others,  be  led  away  by  the 
error  of  the  wicked,  and  stand  exposed  to  crafty  men  who  lie  in 
wait  to  deceive ;  but  that  tliey  may  be  capable,  if  need  be,  to  con- 
tend earnestly  for  the  faith,  and  to  confute  gainsayers.  They 
should  be,  in  some  measure,  acquainted  with  the  liberal  arts  and 
sciences,  which  serve  to  open  and  enlarge  the  mind,  and  are  all 
handmaids  to  divinity.  But  religion  itself  should  be  their  principal 
study.  The  religion  of  the  Bible  should  be  that,  which,  above  all 
things,  they  are  not  ignorant  of.  They  should  be,  Apollos-like, 
men  mighty  in  the  Scriptures,  and  accordingly,  more  than  others, 
addict  themselves  to  the  means  and  methods  of  information ;  get 
wisdom,  and,  with  all  their  gettings,  get  understanding.  They 
should  give  attendance  to  reading,  no  less  than  exhortation  and 
doctrine  (the  one  will  render  them  capable  of  the  other)  ;  neglect 
not  the  gift  that  is  in  them,  which  was  given  by  prophecy,  whether 
with  or  without  the  laying  on  the  hands  of  the  presbytery ;  meditate 
upon  these  things,  give  themselves  wholly  to  them,  that  their  profit- 
ing may  appear  unto  all,  or,  in  all  things.  Truth  should  be  the 
object  of  their  pursuit,  —  sacred  truth.  What  is  truth?  should  be 
the  question  they  would  ever  decide.  They  should  therefore  lay 
aside,  as  much  as  may  be,  prepossession  and  prejudice ;  lay  their 
minds  open  to  conviction ;  not  be  carried  away  with  an  affectation 
of  novelty  and  singularity,  any  more  than  shackled  with  authority 
and  venerable  antiquity.  They  should  dare  to  embrace  and  adhere 
to  unpopular  truth,  as  well  as  to  renounce  popular  error. 


Note  E.  —  Page  28. 


CHANGE      OF     PRICES. 


In  comparing'  the  standard  of  prices  at  the  present  time 
with  the  standard  as  it  was  eighty  or  a  hundred  years 
ago,  there  are  many  particulars  to  be  considered,  some  of 
which  have  varied  in  a  very  different  ratio  from  others. 

11 


82 


But  the  following  items,  among  others,  will  tend  to  justify 
the  statement  in  the  Discourse  respecting  the  comparative 
value  of  money  in  1761  and  now.  In  the  interval  between 
Mr.  Pond's  dismission  and  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ordination, — 
i.e.,  from  1759  to  1761,  —  the  price  for  boarding  the  mini- 
ster and  his  horse  was  eight  shillings  a  week  ;  7iow  it  would 
be  considerably  more  than  three  times  as  much.  In  1755, 
the  common  price  of  beef  was  between  two  and  three  cents 
a  pound  ;  poultry,  the  same  ;  rye  was  about  two  shillings  and 
eightpence  a  bushel ;  butter,  nine  cents  a  pound,  or  less ; 
labor,  in  the  summer  season,  at  farm-work,  two  shillings  a 
day.  In  1762,  and  for  some  years  afterwards,  the  price  for 
a  man  and  a  yoke  of  oxen  in  June,  at  highway-work,  was 
seventy-five  cents  a  day,  without  board.  In  1755,  the  price 
for  a  man  and  a  yoke  of  oxen  was  but  four  shillings  a  day : 
horses  were  kept  for  nine  cents  a  day.  Horse-hire,  at  various 
times  between  1760  and  1795,  was  no  more  than  from  two 
to  three  cents  a  mile.  School-teachers,  for  the  first  fifteen 
years  after  the  incorporation  of  the  town,  had  less  than  one- 
quarter  of  what  is  now  usual.  The  board  of  the  male 
teachers  was  then  seventy-eight  cents  a  week ;  of  females, 
forty-six  cents.  The  gradual  increase  of  teachers'  wages  is 
an  important  index  of  the  advancing  standard  of  prices  as 
to  the  expenses  of  professional  men.  It  appears,  that,  in  this 
town,  the  wages  of  teachers  rather  more  than  doubled  in 
the  forty  years  between  1765  and  1805  ;  and,  since  1805,  the 
compensation  of  teachers  has  fully  doubled  ag-ain,  so  as  to  be 
upwards  of  four  times  as  much  at  the  present  time  as  it  was 
in  1770.  It  may  be  noted,  as  a  corresponding  circumstance, 
that,  in  the  forty  years  between  1767  and  1807,  the  price  of 
a  day's  work  for  a  man  and  a  pair  of  oxen  a  little  more  than 
doubled,  and  that  the  price  noiv  is  also  about  double  what 
it  was  in  1807  ;  so  that,  in  the  ninety  years,  the  price  for 
such  work  has  increased  about  fourfold.  As  late  as  1788 
and  1791,  the  repairs  on  the  meeting-house  cost  only  four 
shillings  a  day  for  carpenter-work  (boarding  themselves)  ; 
and  fifty  cents  a  day  for  painters,  with  five  shillings  a  week 


83 


for  their  board.     In  1799,  mason-work  was  one  dollar  a  day, 
without  board. 

The  rise  that  has  taken  place  in  the  standard  of  prices  was 
by  no  means  dependent  merely  on  the  town's  being  newly 
settled :  it  is  a  part  of  a  general  and  inevitable  movement, 
in  which  the  whole  civilized  world  shares.  The  advance 
has  been  somewhat  more  rapid  in  this  country  than  in 
Europe.  For  example,  Macaulay  estimates,  that,  in  a  period 
of  a  hundred  and  fifty  years,  the  compensation  of  mercan- 
tile clerks  in  England  has  increased  threefold  ;  and  the 
wages  of  agricultural  laborers  and  of  mechanics,  between 
two  and  three  fold.  This  advance  in  the  standard  of  prices 
is  something  which  must  inevitably  go  on,  both  in  this  coun- 
try and  in  Europe,  in  the  century  to  come.  Nor  is  it  to  be 
lamented.  It  is  a  change,  which,  in  the  long  run,  operates  in 
favor  of  the  prosperity  and  thrift  of  the  laboring  portion  of 
the  community,  as  compared  with  capitalists ;  and  every  thing 
which  increases  the  comparative  comfort  of  the  families  of 
laboring  men,  and  their  means  of  education,  has  a  direct 
tendency  to  promote  good  morals,  and  is  for  the  advantage 
of  society  in  all  respects. 


Note  F.  —  Pages  32,  37. 

RESULT  OF  COUNCIL. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  result  of  the  Ecclesiastical 
Council  called  by  Mr.  Sparhawk  and  the  church :  — 

Templeton,  June  7,  1780. 

At  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  convened  in  the  First  Precinct  in 
Templeton,  agreeably  to  letters-missive  from  the  church  in  said 
precinct:  Present  the  following  pastors  and  messengers  of  the 
churches  ;  viz. :  — 


84 


Pastors,  Messengers  or  Delegates, 

Rev.  Daniel  Emerson  .  Mr.  Moses  Thurston. 

E-ev.  Zabdiel  Adams     .  Lieut.  Caleb  Taylor. 

Rev.  Josiah  Dana    .     .  John  Mason,  Esq.,  and  Capt.  Ezra  Jones. 

Rev.  Joseph  Brown      .  Dea.  Moses  Hale  and  Dr.  Israel  Whiton. 

Rev.  Joseph  Lyman     .  Capt.  Elisha  Allis. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Emerson  was  chosen  Moderator ;  and  the  Rev. 
Joseph  Brown,  Scribe.  The  Council  was  opened  by  prayer  to  God 
for  hght  and  influence ;  then  proceeded  to  enter  upon  the  busi- 
ness for  which  we  are  called ;  and,  the  better  to  accomplish  the 
good  design  of  their  appointment,  chose  a  Committee  of  Council  to 
treat  with  the  dissenting  brethren  of  the  church,  and  sundry  other 
inhabitants  of  the  precinct  who  were  dissatisfied  with  the  calling  of 
said  Council.  The  Committee  attended  the  business  of  their 
appointment,  and  made  report,  that  they  were  unable  to  persuade 
the  persons  to  whom  they  were  sent  to  enter  upon  a  friendly  con- 
ference with  the  Council.  Being  unsuccessful  in  this  expedient, 
the  Council  proceeded  to  a  public  hearing  in  the  meeting-house, 
where  we  opened  with  prayer  by  the  Moderator ;  then  heard  the 
various  votes  and  papers  which  the  pastor  and  church  had  to  lay  before 
us.  Without  entering  into  a  minute  description  of  these  votes  and 
papers,  we  shall  give  our  opinion  upon  the  matters  referred  to  for 
our  consideration  in  the  rule  of  submission.  We  first  took  up  the 
third  article  of  said  rule,  in  which  our  judgment  is  desired  upon 
sundry  votes  and  proceedings  of  the  church,  &c.  We  are  per- 
suaded that  the  determination  of  this  church,  in  refusing  communion 
with  Mr.  Walley's  church  in  Bolton,  was  agreeable  to  gospel  order, 
and  was  therefore  no  just  ground  of  uneasiness  and  dissatisfaction 
to  the  dissenting  brethren ;  and  that  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk's  conduct 
in  entering  his  dissent  against  certain  votes  of  the  church,  and,  in 
particular,  his  non-concurring  the  vote  of  communion  with  Mr. 
Walley's  church,  formerly  passed,  and  which  he  could  not  in  con- 
science carry  into  execution,  being  a  matter  of  privilege  in  the 
pastor,  was  no  just  foundation  of  discontentment  in  the  minds  of 
the  brethren.  Also  that  the  pastor's  refusal  to  call  a  church-meet- 
ing, in  conformity  to  the  request  of  Jonas  Wilder  and  others,  dated 
April  5,  1777,  should  not  be  viewed  as  just  matter  of  uneasiness 
by  the  signers  of  that  application,  for  the  reasons  given  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Sparhawk. 

Li  respect  of  the  church's  proceedings  with  Mr.  Abijah  Kendall, 
we  are  of  opinion  that  they  had  just  right  to  suspend  him  from  act- 
ing with  them,  for  the  reasons  specified  in  their  votes. 

We  are  sorry  to  find  that  imputations  have  been  cast  upon  the  pas- 
tor, of  unfriendliness  to  the  rights  and  privileges  of  his  country.  We 
think  that  there  is  sufficient  evidence  of  his  attachment  to  the  civil 
interests  of  these  States,  and  that  he  merits  the  confidence  of  his 
people,  as  a  friend  to  the  laws  and  liberties  of  this  Commonwealth. 


85 


As  our  sentiments  are  requested  respecting  the  precinct-meeting 
held  May  22,  1780,  we  cannot,  in  fidelity,  omit  to  suggest,  tliat 
matters  of  ecclesiastical  controversy  are  to  be  brought  before  eccle- 
siastical bodies  only ;  and  that  any  attempts  to  bring  the  religious 
conduct  of  Christians,  and  the  powers  and  privileges  of  the  cliurch, 
before  a  civil  jurisdiction,  are  highly  dangerous,  and  unwarrant- 
able; and  therefore  the  pastor  and  church,  in  refusing  to  attend  that 
precinct-meeting,  considered  as  held  for  the  abovesaid  purposes, 
conducted  in  a  manner  justifiable  and  commendable ;  and  that  the 
conduct  of  those  two  church-members  who  endeavored  to  bring  him 
upon  trial  before  that  meeting  was  highly  offensive  in  the  sight  of 
God. 

In  reference  to  the  pastor's  desire  of  advice  under  his  diflEiculties 
respecting  his  support,  and  as  to  his  dismission  from  his  ministerial 
office,  w^e  find,  from  the  word  of  God,  that  ministers  have  a  clear 
and  scriptural  right  to  a  decent  and  honorable  support  from  the 
people  whom  they  serve.  Mr.  Sparhawk,  we  think,  has  not  been 
thus  supported  for  several  years  ;  but,  notwithstanding  the  troubles 
and  embarrassments  he  has  labored  under,  we  cannot  but  recom- 
mend to  him  further  trial  and  patience,  to  see  if  the  people  will  not 
comply  with  their  interest  and  duty  in  affording  him  a  competent 
maintenance.  But,  should  he  be  unable  to  obtain  a  redress  of  his 
sufferings,  we  cannot  advise  him  to  continue  much  longer  in  such  a 
state  of  oppression ;  but,  according  to  the  gospel,  to  shake  off  the 
dust  of  his  feet  as  a  testimony  against  those  who  refuse  to  fulfil 
the  solemn  obligations  they  are  under  by  their  own  covenant,  as 
well  as  by  the  word  of  God.  And,  should  he  be  under  the  necessity 
of  seeking  a  dismission,  we  advise  him,  after  such  forbearance  as 
his  Christian  prudence  and  discretion  shall  dictate,  to  call  in,  with 
the  consent  of  the  church,  a  council  of  three  sister  churches  to  assist 
and  advise  in  the  separation. 

As  to  the  conduct  of  the  dissenting  brethren  in  disagreeing  with 
the  church  in  their  votes,  we  advise  the  church  not  to  entertain  any 
uneasiness  with  their  brethren  for  a  difference  of  sentiment  in  the 
matters  which  have  been  controverted  for  several  years  among 
them. 

Thus,  brethren,  we  have  attended  to  the  matters  which  you  have 
thought  fit  to  lay  before  us.  We  are  anxiously  distressed  to  find 
that  such  wide  breaches  have  been  made  upon  you ;  that  the  Spirit 
of  holiness  and  peace  has  so  far  withdrawn  his  blessed  influences 
from  you,  and  left  you  to  such  unhappy  jealousies  and  animosities. 
We  humbly  supplicate  the  Father  of  all  mercies  to  pour  out  his 
blessed  influences  into  your  hearts,  and  to  point  out  to  you  the  path 
of  duty  and  peace.  We  wish  the  pastor,  while  he  goes  before  you, 
to  show  himself  a  pattern  of  gentleness  and  condescension ;  con- 
forming himself  in  all  matters  (as  far  as  will  comport  with  a  good 
conscience  towards  God)  to  the  views  and  desires  of  his  beloved 
flock ;   using  his  authority  as  pastor  with  tenderness,  not  to  the 


86 


distraction,  but  for  the  edification,  of  the  body  of  Christ  in  this 
place. 

The  people  we  would  exhort  to  receive  their  pastor  in  love ;  to 
submit  themselves  to  him  in  the  Lord,  and  to  account  him  worthy 
of  double  honor ;  to  make  his  life  comfortable,  by  affording  a  suita- 
ble support ;  and  give  none  occasion  of  uneasiness  to  him  who 
naturally  cares  for  their  good,  and  watches  for  theu'  souls  as  one 
who  must  give  an  account. 

We  deplore  what  we  forbode  as  the  unhappy  consequences  of  a 
separation  and  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  relation  of  this  wise  and 
good  shepherd  to  this  flock  of  our  Lord's  fold,  which  he  has  pur- 
chased with  his  own  blood.  May  our  ears  soon  be  saluted  with  the 
happy  tidings  that  your  contentions  are  healed ;  that  the  God  of 
truth  and  love  hath  returned  to  dwell  among  you ;  that  his  Spirit, 
in  abundant  measure,  hath  been  showered  down  upon  the  pastor 
and  people  of  this  precinct ;  and  that  the  hearts  of  all  are  turned  to 
each  other  as  the  heart  of  one  man  !  That  such  may  be  the  blessed 
consequence  of  our  painful  and  anxious  labors,  is  our  devout  sup- 
plication to  Almighty  God  for  you ;  unto  whom,  and  to  the  word 
of  his  grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and  to  give  you  an 
inheritance  among  all  them  which  are  sanctified,  we  now  commend 
you,  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.    Amen. 

By  order  and  in  the  name  of  the  Council, 

Daniel  Emerson,  Moderator. 


Note  G.  —  Page  56. 

RELIGIOUS      SOCIETIES. 

The  following  is  an  account  of  all  the  other  Societies, 
beside  the  First  Parish,  which  have  maintained  public  wor- 
ship in  this  town,  arranged  in  order  of  the  dates  of  their 
formation :  — 

The  Baptist  Church  in  this  town  was  organized  Aug.  22, 
1782,  at  which  time  twenty-one  members  entered  into  cove- 
nant. It  has  had  ten  settled  pastors.  Rev.  John  Sellon, 
of  English  birth,  was  the  first,  and  ordained  Nov.  19, 1783. 


87 


He  continued  bnt  a  year  and  a  half.  Rev.  Joel  Butler  l)c- 
came  pastor  in  1787,  and  remained  fonr  years.  For  eight  or 
nine  years  after  his  dismission,  tlie  pulpit  was  supplied  only 
upon  temporary  engagements,  but  with  no  settled  minister ; 
yet,  during  six  years  of  this  time,  sixty-seven  members  were 
received  to  the  church  by  baptism.  Rev.  Elisha  Andrews 
became  its  pastor  in  the  year  1800 ;  was  dismissed  March 
17,  1813,  but  re-installed  in  the  spring  of  1827,  and  finally 
dismissed  in  1832,  —  making  eighteen  years,  in  all,  of  his 
ministry.  During  the  interval  of  Mr.  Andrews's  absence, 
there  were  two  pastors  settled  ;  but  they  continued  not  more 
than  a  year  or  two  each:  viz..  Rev.  George  Phippen,  set- 
tled March,  1821 ;  and  Rev.  J.  Parsons,  settled  December, 
1824.  The  same  year  of  Rev.  Mr.  Andrews's  final  dismis- 
sion. Rev.  Winthrop  Morse  was  installed,  September,  1832 ; 
and  he  was  pastor  about  two  years.  Rev.  Isaiah  C.  Car- 
penter was  ordained  Feb.  8,  1837,  and  resigned  in  1843. 
Rev.  John  Woodbury  was  settled  January,  1844  ;  Rev. 
Sandford  Leach,  April,  1848  ;  and  Rev.  A.  V.  Dimock,  who 
is  the  pastor  at  the  present  time,  was  settled  April  1,  1851. 
The  first  meeting-house  of  the  Baptist  Society  was  erected, 
in  1798  and  1799,  at  what  is  called  the  Baptist  Common. 
The  dedication-sermon  was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bald- 
win, of  Boston,  in  the  autumn  of  1799.  In  1840  the 
meeting-house  was  removed  to  its  present  location  in  Bald- 
winville  Village,  and  was  opened  and  re-dedicated  Feb.  3, 
1841. 

The  Trinitarian  Congregational  Church  in  Templeton 
was  organized  April  11,  1832,  and  was  constituted  with 
twenty-four  members.  Since  its  organization,  two  hundred 
and  forty-seven  members  have  been  added,  including  those 
by  letter  as  well  as  by  profession.  A  hundred  and  fifty-two 
have  been  dismissed,  removed,  or  died.  The  meeting-house 
was  built  in  1833.  The  church  has  had  two  pastors.  Rev. 
Lemuel  P.  Bates  was  installed  Jan.  16,  1833,  and  was  dis- 
missed April  19,  1837.  Rev.  Lewis  Sabin  was  installed 
Sept.  21,  1837,  and  is  the  pastor  at  the  present  time. 


88 


A  Universalist  Society  was  organized  in  1842,  and  held 
its  meetings  in  the  old  Town  House.  Not  long  after,  Rev. 
Gerard  Bushnell,  who  had  been  the  preacher  almost  from 
the  first,  became  stated  pastor  of  the  society,  though  without 
a  formal  installation ;  and  he  supplied,  for  the  most  part, 
while  the  meetings  continued.  No  meeting-house  was  ever 
erected  ;  but  the  society  has  held  its  worship  in  the  present 
Town  Hall,  meeting  on  alternate  Sundays,  or  at  other  stated 
intervals.     At  present,  the  society  has  no  preaching. 

In  1843,  Rev.  Willard  Smith  was  appointed  by  the  Con- 
ference of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  to  supply  as 
preacher  in  Templeton,  in  connection  with  South  Royals- 
ton.  A  "  class,"  included  in  the  charge  of  preachers  at 
Hubbardston,  had  been  maintained  for  about  three  years 
jDreviously.  A  church  was  formed,  of  twenty-four  members, 
in  1843.  The  whole  number  of  its  members,  beside  those 
received  only  on  probation,  has  been  sixty-eight.  A  meet- 
ing-house, since  disposed  of,  was  erected  in  1844.  Rev. 
Mr.  Smith  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  John  T.  Pettee,  who  was 
appointed  for  Templeton,  August,  1844.  Rev.  Simon  Put- 
nam was  the  minister  from  1845  to  1847.  In  Ju.ne,  1847, 
Rev.  T.  G-.  Brown  was  appointed  ;  one  or  two  other  societies 
being  also  connected  with  Templeton  under  his  charge. 
Preaching  in  the  meeting-house  of  the  society  was  discon- 
tinued from  1848.  Meetings  have  been  held  a  part  of  the 
time,  since,  in  the  East  Village  ;  but  no  preacher  has  been 
appointed  by  the  Conference  to  make  stated  supply,  except 
Rev.  J.  L.  Estey,  in  1852,  in  connection  with  South 
Royal  ston. 

Congregations  for  public  worship,  under  the  ministry  of 
preachers  of  the  Second-Advent  persuasion,  had  been  held 
for  some  time  previous  to  1851,  chiefly  in  the  East  Tillage. 
March  8,  of  that  year,  the  Advent  Church  was  organized, 
having  twenty-one  members  at  the  time,  with  the  Rev. 
C.  R.  Griggs,  pastor.  He  resides  in  another  town,  but  con- 
tinues to  be  the  minister.  The  meetings  for  public  worship 
have  been  held,  for  the  most  part,  on  alternate  Sundays. 


89 


Public  worship,  according  to  the  forms  of  the  Roman- 
Catholic  Church,  has  been  conducted  occasionally,  "vvithin 
the  last  eight  or  ten  years,  but  not  at  stated  intervals,  in 
private  houses  in  the  Factory  Village  in  this  town ;  chiefly 
by  Rev.  Mr.  Gibson,  a  priest  of  that  order,  who  was  of 
English  birth.  In  1853,  under  his  auspices,  and  by  means 
of  liberal  contributions  on  the  part  of  those  attending 
upon  his  ministrations,  an  edifice,  costing  about  |2,000,  was 
erected  for  their  use  ;  and  it  was  "  consecrated  "  in  1854. 
It  is  called  St.  Martin's  Chapel.  Since  that  time,  religious 
services  have  been  conducted  in  it  one  Sunday  in  every 
four.  Rev.  Mr.  Gibson  officiated  there  about  two  years, 
residing  in  Fitchburg ;  but,  having  returned  to  his  native 
country,  Rev.  Mr.  Turpin,  of  Fitchburg,  has  since  offi- 
ciated. 


NAMES  OF  PROPEIETORS  OF  THE  TOWNSHIP  IN   1735. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  proprietors  who  originally 
drew  the  forty-acre  lots,  or  "  house-lots  "  as  they  were  called, 
in  the  first  division  of  lands  made  at  the  proprietors'  meeting 
at  Concord,  Jan.  24,  1735  (old  style).  It  happened,  at  the 
time  of  drawing,  that  No.  107  was  not  used.  Nos.  71,  72, 
being  "mine-lots,"  —  that  is,  falling  on  Mine  Hill,  —  were 
reserved ;  and  so  duplicates  were  drawn  for  Nos.  94,  95,  and 
96,  and  these  were  distinguished  as  94  east,  94  west,  95 
east^  &c. :  — 


No.  of 

Lot. 

1.  Hezekiah  Hapgood. 

2.  Benjamin  Hatterton. 

3.  Jonathan  Farnsworth. 

4.  Thomas  Baldwin. 

5.  John  Overing,  Esq. 

6.  Nathaniel  Trask. 


No.  of 
Lot. 

7.  Samuel  Hartwell. 

8.  Ephraim  Brown. 

9.  Simon  Davis. 

10.  Wilham  Wheeler. 

11.  Daniel  Gates. 

12.  Benjamin  Thompson. 


12 


90 


No.  of 

No.  of 

Lot 

Lot. 

13. 

Thomas  Baldwin. 

60. 

Jonathan  Bowers. 

14. 

Samuel  Miles. 

61. 

Benjamin  Smith. 

15. 

Simon  Stone. 

62. 

Henry  Baldwin. 

16. 

Timothy  Townsend. 

63. 

Thomas  Tarbell. 

17. 

Jonathan  Whitcomb. 

64. 

Samuel  Sargeant. 

18. 

George  Farrar, 

65. 

Jacob  Wright. 

19. 

Benjamin  Temple. 

66. 

Henry  Fames. 

20. 

John  Priest. 

67. 

Col.  Benjamin  Prescott. 

21. 

Ephraim  Twitchell. 

68. 

James  Houghton. 

22. 

Robert  Robbins. 

69. 

Ebenezer  Wheeler. 

23. 

Nathan  Brooks. 

70. 

Daniel  Woodward. 

24. 

Samuel  Shelden. 

73. 

John  Longley. 

25. 

John  Wheeler. 

74. 

Benjamin  Shedd. 

26. 

John  Wood. 

75. 

Thomas  Amsden. 

27. 

Joseph  Horsley. 

76. 

Simon  Davis. 

28. 

Joshua  Richardson. 

77. 

Nathaniel  Kendall. 

29. 

William  Shattuck. 

78. 

Robert  Cummings. 

30. 

John  Wyman. 

79. 

Thomas  Ball. 

31. 

Edward  Willson. 

80. 

John  Bulkley. 

32. 

Joseph  Wood. 

81. 

Jonathan  Farr. 

33. 

Col.  Benjamin  Prescott. 

82. 

David  Whitney. 

34. 

Zachariah  Lawrence. 

83. 

David  Stone. 

35. 

Zachariah  Flagg. 

84. 

Moses  Whitney. 

36. 

For  support  of  schools. 

85. 

Jacob  Wright. 

37. 

Col.  Benjamin  Prescott. 

86. 

Samuel  Hunt. 

38. 

Samuel  Stone. 

87. 

Thomas  Amsden. 

39. 

Jonathan  Buttrick. 

88. 

Zachariah  Symmes. 

40. 

Samuel  Warner. 

89. 

Jonathan  Wyman. 

41. 

Daniel  Gates. 

90. 

Caleb  Sawyer. 

42. 

Eleazar  Bateman. 

91. 

Josiah  Hobbs. 

43. 

John  Adams. 

92. 

For  support  of  ministry 

44. 

James  Patterson. 

93. 

John  Overing,  Esq. 

45. 

Jacob  Houghton. 

94  E 

.  Joseph  Wheat. 

46. 

For  the  first  minister. 

94  w.  Eleazar  Flapper. 

47. 

Jonathan  Simonds. 

95  E 

.  John  Muzzey. 

48. 

Moses  Burdue. 

95  w.  Ebenezer  Parker. 

49. 

Samuel  Chandler. 

96  E 

.  Joseph  Wheelock. 

50. 

John  Fames. 

96  w.  Samuel  Willson. 

51. 

Thankful  Reed. 

97. 

Edward  Phelps. 

52. 

Samuel  Chandler. 

98. 

Benjamin  Whitney. 

53. 

Joseph  Fassett. 

99. 

James  Jones. 

54. 

Jonathan  Lawrence. 

100. 

David  Roberts. 

55. 

John  Whitcomb,  Esq. 

101. 

Col.  Prescott. 

56. 

Timothy  Spaulding. 

102. 

John  Barrett. 

57. 

John  Swan. 

103. 

John  Cutter. 

58. 

Benjamin  Gary. 

104. 

Elnathan  Jones. 

59. 

John  Cummings. 

105. 

Isaac  Learnard. 

91 


No.  of 

No.  of 

Lot. 

Lot. 

106. 

John  Needham. 

116. 

James  Simonds. 

108. 

Thomas  Hapgood. 

117. 

Abraham  Taylor. 

109. 

Thomas  Hapgood. 

118. 

Daniel  Adams. 

110. 

Henry  Bartlett. 

119. 

John  Provender. 

111. 

Daniel  Billings. 

120. 

David  Wheeler. 

112. 

Samuel  Ilincher. 

121. 

Benjamin  Wyman. 

113. 

Edward  Winn. 

122. 

Daniel  White. 

114. 

Gershom  Flagg. 

123. 

Elisha  Tattingham 

115. 

Ebenezer  Fisk. 

Yery  few  of  these  original  owners  actually  settled  here  in 
person. 


ORIGINAL  DIVISION  OF  LANDS  IN  THE  TOWNSHIP. 

The  first  step  towards  dividing  the  territory  among  the 
proprietors  was  taken  at  a  meeting  held  in  Concord,  Oct.  30, 
1734,  when  it  was  — 

Voted  that  the  township  be  laid  out  in  part  as  soon  as  may  be. 
Voted  that  there  be  laid  out  a  hundred  and  twenty-three  forty-acre 
lots  of  the  best  of  the  upland.  Chose  a  Committee  of  five  to  lay 
out  the  lots  as  above  mentioned.  Voted  that  the  lots  be  made  as 
equal  as  may  be,  and  in  as  regular  a  form  and  as  compact  as  the 
land  will  allow  of.  Voted  that  said  Committee  order  ways,  and 
where  the  meeting-house  and  the  three  public  lots  shall  be,  and  to 
order  land  for  a  burying-place  and  for  a  training-place,  and  for 
other  public  use,  according  to  their  best  discretion. 

Agreeably  to  the  foregoing  vote,  Samuel  Chandler,  of 
Concord,  the  proprietors'  clerk,  with  others  of  the  Commit- 
tee, proceeded  to  lay  out  the  hundred  and  twenty-three 
forty-acre  lots,  or  ''  house-lots  "  as  they  were  called, — one  for 
each  owner  of  the  township,  and  the  three  public  lots.  They 
employed  surveyors,  and  spent  about  thirty  days  in  the 
work.  They  bought  "  a  kittle  "  at  the  proprietors'  expense. 
They  paid  Nathaniel  Wilder  and  John  Wilder  for  "  bringing 


92 


horses  into  the  woods  ; "  that  is,  into  the  township.  They 
moreover  purchased  four  bushels  of  oats,  and  spent  six 
shillings  and  ninepence  beside,  "  on  the  Publick  accompt, 
when  going  into  the  woods." 

At  a  meeting  at  Concord,  Jan.  24,  1735  (old  style),  each 
proprietor's  lot  was  "  drawn  out ; "  that  is,  determined  by 
the  number  which  fell  to  him  in  a  chance  drawing.  Pro- 
prietors who  did  not  like  their  lots  were  allowed  to  drop 
them,  and  take  a  similar  quantity  in  the  undivided  land, 
provided  they  did  so  within  certain  times. 

The  settlement  of  the  town  having  been  delayed,  as  else- 
where stated,  on  account  of  Indian  hostilities,  no  further 
division  of  land  among  the  proprietors  was  attempted  till 
May  9, 1750  ;  when,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  township,  "  at 
the  meeting-house  place,"  it  was  voted  to  divide  the  meadow- 
land  forthwith  ;  and  that  ''four  acres  in  the  middling  sort 
of  the  meadow  in  said  township  be  the  standard  (that  is, 
four  acres  to  be  the  quantity  assigned  to  each  proprietor)  ; 
and  that  the  Committee  to  be  chosen  shall  have  power  to  lay 
more  or  less  as  to  quantity,  making  said  lots  equally  good 
to  the  proposed  standard,  according  to  their  best  judgment." 
It  was  further  voted,  "  that,  in  case  the  meadow-lands  should 
not  hold  out  so  that  each  proprietor  can  have  his  proposed 
share  therein,  the  said  Committee  shall  have  power  to  lay 
them  out  an  equivalent,  in  swamp  or  upland,  according  to 
their  best  judgment,  at  the  option  of  the  person  concerned  ; 
it  being  done  in  some  regular  form."  John  Whitcomb  and 
Charles  Baker  were  appointed  surveyors.  It  was  "  voted 
that  the  Committee  have  four  shillings  a  day,  they  support- 
ing themselves ;  and  that  the  surveyors  have  the  same 
allowance,  with  their  extraordinary  charges  allowed  them." 
The  meadow  did  not  hold  out  to  give  each  one  four  acres. 
At  a  meeting  in  Lancaster,  at  Mr.  Samuel  Locke's  tavern, 
June  27,  1750,  it  was  voted,  that,  in  the  drawing  of  the 
meadow,  those  who  drew  "blanks"  should  have  7iine  acres 
each  "  in  any  of  the  undivided  land,  at  the  option  of  the 
person  concerned,"   as  a  substitute   for  the  four  acres  of 


93 


meadow.  At  this  meeting,  the  division  was  made  by 
drawing  lots ;  viz.,  eighty-five  meadow-lots  and  thirty-eight 
blanks. 

On  the  11th  September,  1751,  it  was  voted  "to  come  to 
a  second  division  of  upland  ;  that  seventy  acres  shall  be  the 
standard ;  and  that  the  Committee  shall  have  power  to  lay 
out  the  lots  bigger  or  less,  according  to  their  goodness." 
These  123  seventy-acre  lots  having  been  surveyed  accord- 
ingly, they  were  distributed  by  lot,  May  13,  1752. 

The  next  distribution  was  agreed  upon  in  May,  1753,  — 
forty  acres  to  be  the  standard,  — "  and  voted  that  every 
proprietor  may  '  pitch  '  to  his  own  land  ;  and  that  said  Com- 
mittee qualify  said  land  over  or  under  the  standard,  as  it 
is  for  goodness  or  accommodation."  —  "  Voted  that  those  of 
the  propriety  that  cannot  '  pitch '  to  their  own  land  have 
their  land  laid  out  and  drawn  for  as  formerly."  This  Com- 
mittee were  to  have  three  shillings  and  sixpence  per  day, 
and  the  surveyors  four  shillings  a  day.  A  little  more  than 
half  of  these  forty-acre  lots,  of  the  third  division  of  upland, 
were  "  pitched  ;  "  that  is,  laid  out  by  the  recipients  adjoin- 
ing to  their  own  previously  distributed  lots.  The  number 
of  "  pitched  lots  "  was  sixty-six  :  the  other  fifty-seven  pro- 
prietors "  drew  "  for  locations. 

No  further  distribution  took  place  till  twelve  years  later, 
and  after  the  town  had  been  incorporated ;  when,  at  a 
proprietors'  meeting,  Sept.  25,  1765,  it  was  "  voted  to  lay 
out  a  division  in  the  common  or  undivided  lands  in  said 
town,  and  that  twenty  acres  be  the  standard  for  said  divi- 
sion ;  and  that  the  land  be  qualified  by  a  Committee,  and 
laid  under  or  over  the  standard  as  to  quantity,  so  as  to 
make  each  lot  as  equal,  as  to  goodness,  as  may  be."  Each 
proprietor  was  to  have  liberty  "  to  pitch  his  lot :  "  "  those 
that  can,  and  are  so  disposed,  to  pitch  to  their  own  land  ; 
and  those  that  cannot,  to  draw  for  their  pitch."  On  the 
day  of  the  meeting,  fifteen  persons,  owning  twenty-five  and 
a  half  rights,  pitched  adjoining  their  own  lands  ;  and  thirty- 
nine  persons,  owning  forty-three  rights,  drew  for  their  pitch. 


94 


Twelve  years  later,  —  viz.,  Oct.  29, 1777,  —  it  was  agreed 
that  there  should  be  a  "  fifth  division  "  (that  is,  fifth  division 
in  addition  to  the  division  of  the  meadow),  and  that  "  the 
standard  "  of  quantity  to  each  one  of  the  original  hundred 
and  twenty-three  rights  should  be  six  acres,  with  similar 
regulations  as  to  selection  of  locations  as  in  the  fourth 
division. 

When  lots  had  been  laid  out  in  these  several  distributions 
of  land,  the  survey  was  usually  laid  before  a  meeting  of  the 
proprietors,  and  recorded  by  the  proprietors'  clerk.  In  those 
surveys  and  records,  therefore,  is  to  be  found  the  descrip- 
tion, courses,  and  bounds  on  which  ultimately  rested  the 
titles,  as  regards  individuals,  to  nearly  all  the  land  in  town. 
It  may  therefore  be  useful  here  to  mention,  that,  at  the 
end  of  vol.  ii.  of  the  Proprietors'  Records,  there  is  a  very 
valuable  index  to  find  the  book  and  page  where  are  recorded 
the  lots  belonging  to  each  of  the  original  rights  or  shares 
in  the  township,  as  assigned  to  the  several  proprietors  in 
each  of  the  six  divisions.* 

After  the  division  of  1777,  there  still  remained  a  quantity 
of  land,  in  various  strips  and  gores,  of  irregular  shape,  which 
belonged  in  common,  or  rather  to  the  holders  of  the  original 
rights  as  an  incorporation.  In  1786,  May  3,  at  a  meeting 
of  the  proprietors,  a  Committee  having  reported  that  the 
quantity  of  undivided  land  was  about  nine  hundred  acres, 
"  lying  in  such  forms  and  figures,  and  the  land  so  unfit  for 
improvement,  and  as  it  must  cost  a  considerable  sum  to  di- 
vide the  same,  and  as  the  proprietors  are  now  considerably 
in  debt,"  "  it  is  expedient  to  sell  the  same  at  public  vendue, 
and,  after  paying  the  debts,  divide  the  proceeds  among  the 
proprietors  according  to  their  interest,"  —  this  proposition 
was  adopted  ;  any  proprietor,  who  should  prefer  it,  being 
permitted  to  lay  out  his  proportion  in  the  undivided  lands, 
before  sale,  under  the  direction  of  a  Committee,  by  paying 
his  part  of  the  debts.     June  6, 1787,  it  was  agreed  that  the 

*  Six  divisions ;  that  is,  inclusive  of  the  meadows. 


95 


hill  "  called  the  Mine  Hill  "  should  be  sold  "  at  puljlic  ven- 
due for  the  most  it  will  fetch."  After  paying  the  debts, 
there  was  found  a  balance  of  eleven  shillings  and  sixpence 
belonging  to  each  original  right,  which  the  treasurer  was 
directed  to  pay  to  the  respective  owners  thereof. 

It  will  be  seen  that  each  of  the  hundred  and  twenty-three 
original  rights  was  entitled,  in  tliese  divisions,  to  a  quantity 
of  land,  intended  to  be  equal,  upon  the  average,  to  a  hundred 
and  eighty  acres.  Probably  the  quantity  for  each  right,  on 
the  average,  somewhat  exceeded  in  the  survey  this  standard; 
and  I  believe  it  is  usually  found,  in  modern  surveys  of 
farms  in  this  town,  that  the  old  surveys  included  somewhat 
larger  tracts  than  their  specified  quantities.  Multiplying 
180  acres  by  123,  the  product  is  22,140  acres.  To  this  is  to 
be  added  the  hundred  and  ninety  acres  excess  of  upland 
allowed  to  those  who  had  no  meadow  ;  the  nine  hundred 
acres  sold  at  the  closing  up  in  1787,  with  the  land  at  first 
reserved  on  Mine  Hill ;  also  the  land  occupied  by  all  the 
roads  then  laid  out  in  the  township,  and  by  the  Common, 
the  burying-grounds,  &c.  The  probability,  therefore,  seems 
to  be,  that  the  township,  as  originally  laid  out,  included  at 
least  25,000  acres.  "  Six  miles  sqiiare,  with  allowance  of 
three  hundred  acres  for  the  Mine  Farm,  and  a  hundred 
acres  for  a  pond  in  said  tract"  (in  Phillipston) ,  which  was 
the  quantity  specified  by  the  General  Court,  would  have 
been  23,440  acres.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that  there  was 
considerable  excess  in  the  original  dimensions  of  the  town- 
ship over  what  the  General  Court  intended. 


VALUE   OF  LAND   IN  THE  EARLY  TIMES. 

Before  any  settlements  had  been  made  here,  the  proprie- 
tors, wishing  to  secure  a  mill-privilege  situated  on  Mr. 
Josiah  Hobbs's  forty-acre  lot  (of  the  first  division),  pur- 
chased, Aug.  24, 1748,  his  whole  original  right  for  £26. 10s. 


96 


on  twelve  montlis  credit,  —  equal  to  X25  in  money  down. 
This  was  lot  No.  91 :  it  was  situated  in  the  present  East 
Tillage.  The  money  was  payable,  not  in  bills  of  old-tenor 
currency,  but  in  Province  bills  "  of  the  last  emission," 
which,  in  1743,  were  as  good  as  silver,  or  nearly  so.  As 
there  were  a  hundred  and  twenty  private  original  rights  in 
addition  to  the  three  public  ones  in  the  township,  including 
the  Phillipston  portion,  this  would  make  the  whole  town- 
ship, if  sold  at  the  same  rate,  worth  just  ten  thousand 
dollars ;  and,  as  there  was  not  very  far  from  twenty- 
five  thousand  acres  in  the  township,  that  would  be  at  the 
rate  of  about  forty  cents  an  acre  for  the  land,  upon  an 
average,  making  no  allowance  for  any  extra  value  in  Mr. 
Hobbs's  lot  on  account  of  the  mill-privilege.  The  proprie- 
tors deeded  this  lot  —  No.  91  —  nine  years  afterwards,  to 
Reuben  and  Oliver  Richardson,  for  twenty- six  pounds.  As 
soon  as  the  township  became  partially  settled,  and  non- 
resident owners  had  advanced  money,  by  way  of  taxes  on 
their  lots,  for  roads,  &c.,  of  course  the  lots  became  more 
valuable.  Most  of  the  original  proprietors  transferred  their 
rights  before  any  settlements  took  place.  Little  informa- 
tion can  now  be  procured  as  to  the  prices.  By  examination 
at  the  Registry  of  Deeds  at  Worcester,  however,  it  appears 
that  one  whole  right  was  sold  in  1744,  and  several  others  — 
original  rights  —  were  sold  between  1753  and  1761  by  com- 
mittees of  the  proprietors  for  non-payment  of  taxes.  Quite 
a  number  of  other  parcels  of  land  —  parts  of  lots  —  were 
deeded  from  one  individual  to  another  during  the  same 
period.  I  give  the  result  of  this  examination,  as  to  prices, 
in  a  number  of  cases.  All  the  whole  original  lots  sold  for 
taxes,  it  will  be  observed,  went  at  lower  prices  than  No.  91 
above  mentioned. 

1744,  Nov.  26.     Whole  lot  No.  7  sold  for  taxes,  deeded  to  John 

Brooks  for  £16.  18s.  8d.,  lawful  money. 
1753,  Nov.    7.     Lot  No.  65  deeded  to  Ebenezer  Roby  for  £18. 16s. 

1753,  Nov.    7.     Lot  No.  61  to  David  Wilder  for  £15.  14s.  8d. 

1754,  Jan.     2.     Lot  No.    2  to  Thomas  Stoddard  for  £24.  13s.  4d. 
1754,  Dec.  31.     Lot  No.  96  to  Nathaniel  Longley  for  £14. 


97 


The  average  price  of  these  five  original  rights  would  ho 
equal  to  about  thirty  cents  an  acre. 

The  proprietors  also  sold  for  taxes  several  parcels  of  land, 
as  follows  :  — 

1756,  July    8.     To  Samuel  Sawyer,  9^  acres,  at  2s.  8d.  per  acre. 

1757,  Jan.  10.     To  Phineas  By  am,  4  acres  and   70  rods,  at  4s. 

per  acre. 

1757,  Jan.     4.     To  Joseph  Horsley,  10^  acres,  at  3s.  4d.  per  acre. 

1758,  Sept. 22.     To  James  Kendall,  lli^  acres  of  land,  set  off  in 

the  third  division  of  lands  to  John  Bulkley's 
original  right,  at  Is.  4|d.  per  acre. 

1759,  Feb.    8.     To  James  Pierce,  4  acres,  set  off  in  second  divi- 

sion of  lands,  at  3s.  6d.  per  acre. 
1757,  Jan.  20.     To    Rev.  Daniel  Pond,   22^   acres,  at   9^d.  per 
acre. 

1760,  Mar.  20.     Zachariah  Emory  deeded  to  William  Fletcher  4 

acres  of  meadow,  which  was  the  original  allot- 
ment of  John  Barrett,  for  £4.  16s.,  —  equal  to 
$4  an  acre. 
1752,  Nov.  8.  Samuel  Miles  deeded  to  Reuben  Miles  42  acres 
and  4  rods,  "  with  allowance  for  roads,"  —  situ- 
ated "  on  the  north  side  of  Ladder  Hill,"  —  for 
£26.  13s.  4d.  (This  was  equal  to  about  two  dol- 
lars and  ten  cents  an  acre.  But  it  was  laid  out 
as  an  equivalent  for  one  of  the  forty-acre  lots  of 
the  Jirst  division,  and  therefore  considered  much 
better  than  the  average  of  the  land  of  the  whole 
township.) 


SAW-MILL  AND   GRIST-MILL. 

At  the  proprietors'  meeting  at  Concord,  Jan.  24, 1735,  a 
Committee  was  authorized  "  to  agree  with  any  person  or 
persons  that  will  erect  a  mill  or  mills  in  said  township." 
This  Committee,  soon  after,  contracted  with  Mr.  Samuel 
Sheldon,  of  Billerica,  to  build  a  saw-mill  and  a  grist-mill. 
Mr.  Sheldon  gave  bonds  to  erect  the  mills,  of  which  he  was 
to  be  the  owner ;  and  he  was  to  receive  a  grant  of  land  for 
establishing  them.     At  a  proprietors'  meeting  at  Concord, 

13 


98 


Nov.  1, 1737,  the  contract  was  confirmed ;  and  they  "  voted 
and  granted  to  said  Sheldon,  his  heirs  and  assigns,  for  ever, 
eighty  acres  of  land,  to  be  by  him  laid  out  in  one  or  two 
places,  in  a  regular  form,  in  any  of  the  common  land  in 
the  township,  excepting  the  land  reserved  on  account  of  the 
mine  ;  the  land  drowned  by  his  mill-dam  to  be  accounted  a 
part  of  the  eighty  acres :  provided  that  there  be  not  more 
than  twenty  acres  of  meadow  included  in  said  pond,  and 
eighty  acres  of  land ;  provided  also  he  keep  up  a  saw-mill 
and  grist-mill  in  said  township,  according  to  his  obligation 
and  agreement  made  with  him." 

But  Mr.  Sheldon  never  built  the  mills.  At  a  meeting  of 
the  proprietors  at  Concord,  Sept.  6,  1739,  it  was  "  voted 
that  the  Committee  chosen  to  agree  about  mills  in  said 
township  be  directed,  as  soon  as  may  be,  to  procure  some 
suitable  person  or  persons  to  build  a  good  saw-mill  and 
corn-mill  in  said  township,  and  to  give  them  such  encou- 
ragement in  any  of  the  common  lands  or  streams  within 
said  township  as  they  can  or  may  agree  for ;  and  to  enter 
into  obligation  for  the  same,  in  the  name  of  the  proprietors." 
"  Also  voted  that  the  Committee  chosen  to  let  out  the  mills 
in  said  township  be  fully  empowered  to  put  Mr.  Samuel 
Sheldon's  bond  in  prosecution  as  soon  as  may  be ;  or  the 
Committee  may  have  a  liberty  to  agree  with  Mr.  Sheldon  as 
they  see  fit." 

A  proprietors'  meeting  was  warned  to  assemble  in  Con- 
cord, Sept.  16,  1742  ;  and  one  article  in  the  warrant  was  in 
these  words,  —  "to  inquire  whether  tliere  is  a  saw-mill 
erected  in  said  township,  or  like  to  be."  On  this  article  the 
following  action  is  recorded :  "  Inquired,  and  there  is  no 
mill  erected."  About  three  weeks  after,  at  an  adjourn- 
ment of  the  meeting,  the  Committee  about  the  mills  were 
instructed  to  put  Mr.  Sheldon's  bond  in  suit.  At  this  time, 
no  place  had  been  fixed  upon  for  the  location  of  the  mill. 
In  August,  1743,  the  proprietors  refused  to  give  up  Mr. 
Sheldon's  bond.  It  seems,  however,  never  to  have  been 
actually  sued.     At  this  meeting,  in  1743,  the  proprietors 


99 


purchased  Mr.  Thomas  Hol)bs's  riglit  in  tlic  towiisliip,  to 
secure  the  forty-acre  lot  ah*eady  assigned  to  him,  in  order 
that  they  might  use  it  for  a  mill-privilege.  Tliis  was 
lot  No.  91.  The  water-privilege,  it  is  said,  was  the  one 
now  occupied  by  Messrs.  Greenwood,  Jennison  and  Co. 
The  purchase  included  not  only  the  forty-acre  lot,  but  also 
one  share  in  all  the  lands  then  undivided,  amounting  to 
upwards  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  acres  more.  The  price 
allowed  to  Mr.  Hobbs  was  .£26.  10s.,  to  be  paid  in  twelve 
months,  without  interest.  The  proprietors'  books  do  not 
contain  any  record  of  the  contract  for  building  the  saw-mill 
on  this  location.  But  it  appears  that  a  bargain  was  made 
with  Lieut.  James  Simonds,  Reuben  Richardson,  and  Oliver 
Richardson.  Most  likely,  it  was  agreed  to  give  them  the 
land  in  consideration  of  building  the  mill.  Probably,  it  was 
erected  in  the  course  of  the  autumn  of  1743.  In  November, 
1743,  a  Committee  was  chosen  "  to  clear  the  road  from  the 
meeting-house  place  to  the  saw-mill  in  said  township,  and 
also  to  look  out  and  mark  a  road  from  said  mill,  across 
Otter  River,  into  Narraganset  No.  2."  At  that  time,  there 
were  no  permanent  habitations  here.  The  next  year,  1744, 
the  Indian  hostilities  commenced,  as  elsewhere  described. 
No  settlers  came  in  for  about  seven  years ;  and  the  saw-mill 
was  probably  neglected.  Upon  the  return  of  peace  in  1749, 
it  was  not  in  a  condition  for  use  ;  and  the  clerk  was  directed 
to  notify  Lieut.  Simonds  and  his  partners  "  to  rectify  the 
mill,  so  that  it  may  be  in  order  for  sawing,  and  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  township ;  so  that  they  may  fulfil  their  contract." 
In  May,  1755,  the  proprietors  chose  a  Committee  "  to  take 
care  of  the  saw-mill,  and  see  that  the  owners  perform 
according  to  contract."  In  March,  1756,  on  an  article 
"  to  see  whether  the  proprietors  will  build  a  new  saw-mill 
in  the  township,"  it  "  passed  in  the  negative."  Another 
mill,  however,  was  built  not  long  after ;  for  in  March,  1760, 
there  was  an  article  "  to  see  if  the  propriety  will  choose  a 
Committee  to  deal  with  the  partners  in  the  old  saw-mill,  for 
neglect ;  "  but  "  it  passed  in  the  negative." 


100 


In  May,  1753,  it  was  voted  "  to  build  a  corn-mill."  A 
tax  of  six  shillings  on  each  right  was  laid  the  same  year  for 
that  purpose,  amounting  to  a  hundred  and  twenty  dollars. 
Mr.  Thomas  Sawyer  built  the  grist-mill,  in  1754,  "  on  Otter 
River."  It  appears  that  he  was  to  own  the  mill,  and  re- 
ceive a  sum  of  money,  in  consideration  of  building  it,  and 
engaging  to  do  grinding.  In  1763,  the  proprietors,  who 
still  met  and  acted  as  a  corporation  for  some  purposes,  not- 
withstanding the  incorporation  of  the  town  of  Templeton, 
had  an  article  in  a  warrant  for  a  meeting,  "  to  see  if  the 
proprietors  will  prosecute  in  law  the  bond  against  Thomas 
Sawyer,  for  his  not  grinding  according  to  contract  for  the 
inhabitants  of  said  town ;  or  to  act  thereon  as  said  proprie- 
tors shall  think  proper."  It  was  voted  to  choose  a  Com- 
mittee to  see  that  Thomas  Sawyer  fulfil  his  contract  with 
respect  to  the  mill.  No  further  notice  of  the  subject  ap- 
pears in  the  records  afterwards. 


ROADS. 

A  very  large  proportion  of  the  expenditures  of  this  town, 
from  the  beginning,  have  been  for  making  and  repairing 
roads.  It.  would  not  be  practicable,  within  any  moderate 
limits,  for  us  to  give  an  account  of  the  many  locations  of 
highways  which  appear  on  the  records.  Little  was  done  to- 
wards making  roads  till  after  permanent  settlers  had  come  in 
subsequent  to  1750.  In  1737,  a  Committee  was  paid  X18.  4s. 
(in  old-tenor  currency,  at  that  time  equal  to  about  a  fourth 
of  the  same  amount  lawful  money)  for  "  marking  and 
clearing  a  road  to  the  township."  This  probably  meant 
no  more  than  marking  out  a  sort  of  bridle-path  from 
Westminster.  In  1740,  a  road  was  "  marked  and  cleared 
from  Narraganset  No.  2  to  Pequoiage."  "  A  bridge,"  at  the 
cost  of  nine  pounds  (old  tenor),  was  built  in  1741  or  1742. 


101 


In  October,  1742,  it  was  voted  "  to  clear  a  road  to  all  the 
settlers'  lots,  fit  for  passing  on  horseback;  and  also  to 
Nicliewog  (Petersham),  from  the  corner  of  this  township; 
and  also  a  road  to  the  mill-place,  wherever  it  shall  be." 
Under  this  vote,  and  another  authorizing  a  road  to  Narra- 
ganset  No.  2,  about  forty  days'  work  was  paid  for.  The 
"  settlers  "  were  not  yet  here  :  probably  a  road  was  cleared 
of  trees  to  Westminster,  and  perhaps  to  Petersham.  In 
1750,  the  proprietors  granted  a  tax  "  for  roads  through  the 
township,  and  also  to  Nicliewog  line  and  Pequoiage  line," 
amounting  to  eighty  dollars  in  the  whole.  That  sum  was 
sufficient,  according  to  the  scale  of  prices  adopted  in  1753 
for  highway-work,  to  pay  for  a  man  and  a  pair  of  oxen  a 
hundred  and  fifteen  days.  In  1752,  it  was  voted  that  "  three 
rods  shall  be  the  general  measure  for  width  for  the  roads 
through  the  township ;  and,  in  difficult  places,  to  be  left 
discretionary  with  the  Committee  as  to  width."  In  1753, 
the  Committee  chosen  to  lay  out  new  roads  were  directed 
not  to  lay  them  out  "  before  the  settlers  have  pitched  on 
their  house-spots." 

The  expenses  in  this  town  for  bridges  have  not  been  very 
large.  In  1763,  the  town-record  says,  "  Mr.  Noah  Merritt 
undertook  to  build  a  bridge  over  Otter  River  for  ten  pounds  ; 
and  the  town  granted  it  to  him,  and  chose  a  Committee  to 
see  that  the  work  is  done  according  to  bargain."  This  was 
"on  the  road  to  Ipswich-Canada"  (Winchendon).  The 
bridge  over  Otter  River,  at  the  Factory  Village,  seems  not 
to  have  been  built  till  1778.  It  was  then  called  "  the  bridge 
between  Leonard  Stone's  and  Timothy  Haild's." 

The  method  of  repairing  highways,  till  within  a  few  years, 
has  always,  with  the  exception  of  the  year  1832,  been  by  a 
tax  which  was  allowed  to  be  worked  out  by  the  persons  as- 
sessed, under  the  supervision  of  the  highway-surveyors.  For 
many  years,  the  price  allowed  was  about  fifty  cents  a  day 
for  a  man,  and  twenty-five  cents  for  a  pair  of  oxen.  In 
1787,  the  price  allowed  was  fourpence  an  hour  for  a  man 
"  for  work  faithfully  performed,"  and  half  as  much  for  a 


102 


yoke  of  oxen  and  cart  or  plough.  The  price  continued  the 
same  till  1795,  when  it  was  raised  one  quarter  for  both  men 
and  ox-work.  In  1796,  the  price  was  raised  to  sixpence  per 
hour  for  men,  and  threepence  for  cart  and  oxen.  Since 
1850,  the  method  has  been  changed  ;  and  all  highway-taxes 
in  this  town  are  now  paid  in  money. 

Till  within  recent  times,  it  was  customary  for  the  people 
in  winter,  when  the  roads  were  obstructed  by  snow,  to 
volunteer  to  break  them  out,  and  no  charge  was  made 
to  the  town.  This  is  now  done  by  the  highway-surveyors, 
at  the  town's  expense. 


PROCEEDINGS  FOR  THE  SETTLEMENT  AND  THE  DISMISSION 
OF  REV.   MR.   POND. 

At  a  proprietors'   meeting,   Oct.    2,   1754,   the   records 


Voted  and  chose  with  unanimity  Mr.  Daniel  Pond  to  settle  in 
the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry  in  the  township ;  and  also  voted  to 
add  to  the  General  Court's  encouragement,  as  his  settlement,  if  he 
should  accept  the  call  to  settle  as  aforesaid,  the  sum  of  fifty-five 
pounds,  lawful  money  ;  the  one  half  to  be  paid  in  six  months  after 
his  ordination,  and  the  other  half  to  be  paid  at  the  expiration  of 
one  year  after  said  term.  Voted  that  we  give  the  said  Mr.  Daniel 
Pond  fifty -five  pounds,  lawful  money,  per  annum,  as  a  salary  for  the 
first  three  years  after  his  ordination,  and  that  the  sum  of  fifty-three 
pounds  be  his  annual  support  after  that  term,  in  case  he  accepts  the 
call,  and  settles  in  the  Avork  of  the  ministry  in  this  place ;  and  also 
voted  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Aaron  Whitney  be  desired  to  carry  a  copy 
of  these  votes  to  Mr.  Pond,  and  desire  him  to  comply  therewith. 

The  meeting  was  twice  adjourned  to  receive  Mr.  Pond's 
answer,  which  was  read  and  accepted  by  vote  at  a  meeting, 
Dec.  11, 1754. 

The  answer  was  in  these  words :  — 


103 


To  the  Proprietors  of  Narraganset  Township  No.  6,  at  their  Meeting  by  repeated 
adjournments  from  Oct.  2,  1754,  to  Dec.  11  ensuing. 

Gentlemen,  —  I  received,  by  the  hand  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Aaron 
Whitney,  a  copy  of  your  votes  passed  at  your  meethig  on  Oct  2,  as 
before  mentioned,  respecting  my  settling  among  you  in  the  capacity 
of  a  gospel  minister ;  and  in  answer  thereto,  in  the  first  place,  I 
return  you  my  hearty  thanks  for  your  notice  of  me,  and  good- will 
expressed  towards  me,  notwithstanding  my  unworthiness,  &c.  Fur- 
ther :  after  some  deliberation  and  advice  on  said  affair,  esteeming  it 
of  signal  importance,  I  accept  the  call  given  me  to  the  work  of  the 
gospel  ministry  in  this  place  ;  and  if  it  should  please  God,  in  his 
all-disposing  providence,  to  order  my  ordination  to  the  pastoral 
office  here,  I  hope,  by  his  Spirit  and  grace,  I  shall  be  enabled,  in 
some  good  measure,  to  fulfil  my  ministry. 

So  I  remain  your  servant  in  Christ  Jesus, 

Daniel  Pond. 

Having  accepted  this  answer,  the  proprietors  voted  that 
the  Eev.  Aaron  Whitney,  of  Petersham,  Mr.  Jason  Whitney, 
and  Mr.  Hezekiah  Whitcomb,  "  be  a  Committee  to  transact 
all  affairs  relating  to  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Daniel  Pond,  so 
far  forth  as  it  concerns  this  propriety." 

Yery  soon  after,  however,  in  consequence  of  the  hostilities 
which  had  commenced  between  the  English  and  the  French, 
there  were  alarms  of  Indian  incursions  in  this  neighborhood ; 
and  it  appears  that  nothing  was  done  about  Mr.  Pond's 
ordination  for  ten  months  after  his  acceptance.  But  at  a 
proprietors'  meeting,  Oct.  15,  1755,  it  was  voted  "  that  the 
Committee  forthwith  proceed  to  the  ordination."  Having 
consulted  with  Mr.  Pond,  the  Committee  appointed  the 
second  Wednesday  of  December  for  that  purpose. 

An  Ecclesiastical  Council  accordingly  assembled  on  that 
day,  and  completed  the  organization  of  the  church  here,  and 
ordained  Mr.  Pond,  as  appears  from  the  following  certifi- 
cate :  — 

This  may  certify  whom  it  may  concern,  that  the  churches  here- 
after mentioned  —  viz.,  the  churches  of  New  Salem,  Petersham, 
and  Narraganset  No.  2  *  —  met  on  the  tenth  day  of  December, 

*  These  churches  were  represented  bv  Rev.  Mr.  Kendall,  pastor  at  New  Salem, 
Rev.  Aaron  Whitney,  pastor  at  Petersham,  and  Rev.  Elisha  Marsh,  pastor  at  West- 
minster (then  called  Narraganset  No.  2),  and  their  respective  delegates.  —  See 
Church  Records. 


104 


1755,  at  Narraganset  No.  6,  and,  after  forming  into  a  council,  did 
gather  a  church,  set  apart  and  ordain  the  Rev.  Mr.  Daniel  Pond 
the  first  minister  of  that  plantation. 

Attest,  Samuel  Kendall, 

Moderator. 


ENTERTAINMENT  OE  GUESTS  AT  KEY.  MR.  POND'S 
ORDINATION. 

The  Committee  supplied  the  following  provisions  and 
other  articles  for  a  public  entertainment  of  those  who  came 
to  attend  the  ordination  of  Rev.  Mr.  Pond.  The  bills  were 
paid  by  the  proprietors.  Most  of  the  items  were  computed 
in  the  "  old-tenor  "  currency,  which  at  the  time  was  depre- 
ciated, compared  with  "  lawful  money,"  so  that  a  pound 
old  tenor  was  worth  no  more  than  two  shillings  eightpence ; 
in  other  words,  in  the  ratio  of  seven  and  a  half  for  one. 
The  prices  are  here  reduced,  as  nearly  as  practicable,  from 
the  old-tenor  rates,  in  pounds,  shillings,  and  pence,  to  the 
equivalent  sums  in  dollars  and  cents  :  — 

15-1-  lbs.  beef,  at  2|  cts.  per  lb $0.43 

371  lbs.  pork,  at  ^  cts.  per  lb 1.69 

50  lbs.  veal,  at  2^  cts.  per  lb 1.12 

A  pair  of  geese,  14|  lbs.,  at  2^  cts.  per  lb.      .     .  0.32 

4  hens,  at  8  cts.  per  hen 0.32 

5  pecks  wheat-flour 1.00 

10  lbs.  cheese,  at  6^  cts.  per  lb 0.65 

101  lbs.  butter,  at  9  cts.  per  lb 0.94 

1  nutmeg 0.06 

Allspice  and  pepper 0.09 

9  lbs.  sugar,  at  12  cts.  per  lb 1.08 

4  lbs.  raisins,  at  10  cts.  per  lb 0.40 

1  lb.  chocolate,  at  27  cts.  per  lb 0.27 

1  peck  malt,  at  11  cts.  per  peck 0.11 

1  bush,  apples,  at  9  cts.  per  bush 0.09 

1  bl.  cider,  at  $1  per  bl 1.00 

7f  galls,  rum,  at  55  cts.  per  gall 4.25 

\  gall.  West-India  rum,  at  88  cts.  per  gall.  .     .     .  0.44 

7^  lbs.  tobacco,  at  6§  cts.  per  lb 0.49 

3  doz.  pipes,  at  5  cts.  per  doz 0.15 

1^  bush,  oats,  at  20  cts.  per  bush 0.30 


105 


The  following  bills  of  expense  for  the   ordination  were 
also  paid  out  of  the  proprietors'  treasury :  — 


Mr.  Phinehas  ByarrCs  Account. 

Narraganset  No.  6,  Dec.  12,  1755. 

To  keeping  horses  belonging  to  Mr.  Pond's  company,  fifteen  s.     d. 

days  in  all 8     0 

To  the  Council's  horses,  two  for  one  day 10 

and  three  horses  part  of  a  day 10 

To  bread  to  value  of 14 

To  meat  10  lbs.,  at  2d.  per  lb 18 

To  my  trouble  in  making  seats  in  the  meeting-house,  &c.      .  2     8 


15 
Phinehas  Byam. 


,  Mr,  Zaccheus  Barrett's  Account. 

Narraganset  No.  6,  Dec.  9,  1755. 

s.      d. 

To  keeping  two  horses,  each  one  day 1  1 

To  keeping  three  horses,  each  four  days 6  5 

To  riding  after  a  kettle '..20 

To  carting  boards  to  the  meeting-house  from  Mr.  Cobleigh's 

and  back 3  0 

To  entertaining  Mr.  Pond's  company ;  viz.,  four  men,  three 

meals  each       6  5 


18  11 
Zaccheus  Barrett. 


Among  the  items  furnished  for  the  ordination  occasion 
appears  "  one  pound  of  chocolate."  This  was  a  favorite 
article  with  Rev.  Mr.  Pond  ;  and  it  may  be  presumed  that 
the  hostess,  Mrs.  Whitney,  understood  how  to  prepare  it 
better  than  did  Mrs.  Byam,  in  whose  family  Mr.  Pond 
boarded.  The  anecdote,  according  to  tradition,  is,  that  Mr. 
Pond,  one  Sunday  morning,  told  Mrs.  Byam  (wife  of  Jacob 
Byam,  whose  residence  was  at  the  place  where  now  stands 
the   house  of  Capt.  Stephen  S.  Maynard)  that  he  should 

u 


106 


like  some  chocolate  after  the  close  of  the  public  services, 
and  gave  her  a  cake  of  the  article.  The  good  woman 
had  never  seen  such  a  thing  before,  and  felt  a  slight  dis- 
trust of  her  ability  to  prepare  it,  but,  like  many  others,  was 
unwilling  to  confess  a  want  of  knowledge.  So  she  bravely 
promised  to  have  it  ready.  But,  on  Mr.  Pond's  return  in 
the  afternoon,  the  usual  dinner  was  produced,  —  "a  boiled 
dish,"  —  but  no  chocolate.  With  disconsolate  face  and 
many  regrets,  she  assured  him  she  did  not  know  how  it 
happened :  "  Certainly,  when  the  vegetables  were  put  into 
the  pot  to  boil,  I  put  in  the  chocolate  too  ;  for  I  meant  to 
boil  it  about  as  long  as  the  other  things.  I  have  taken 
every  thing  out  carefully ;  but  nothing  can  I  find  of  that 
anywhere." 


COPY   OF  THE  WARRANT  AND  PROCEEDINGS  OF  THE 
MEETINGS  FOR  REV.   MR.   POND'S  DISMISSION. 


Worcester,  ss.  —  AppHcation  therefor  being  made  to  me,  the 
subscriber,  by  a  sufficient  number  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Narra- 
ganset  township  No.  6,  —  these  are  therefore  in  his  majesty's  name 
to  warn  said  proprietors  to  meet  at  the  meeting-house  in  said  town- 
ship on  the  last  Tuesday  of  July  next,  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, to  act  on  the  following  articles ;  viz.,  First  (it  having  pleased 
Almighty  God  to  permit  an  unhappy  difference  to  arise  between 
the  pastor,  church,  and  flock  in  this  plantation,  which  occasioned  the 
appointment  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  to  sit  among  them  on 
the  last  Tuesday  of  July  next),  to  vote  and  act  on  the  advice  and 
directions  we  shall  receive  from  said  Council  as  they  shall  think 
proper.  Art.  2d.  To  see  if  the  proprietors  M'ill  grant  money  for 
defraying  the  expenses  of  said  Council.  —  Given  under  my  hand 
and  seal,  at  Narraganset  No.  6,  this  twenty-seventh  day  of  June,  anno 
Domini  1759,  and  in  the  thirty-third  year  of  his  majesty's  reign. 

Charles  Baker, 

Proprietors'  Clerk. 


107 


A  meeting  was  held  accordingly  July  31,  and  adjourned 
from  morning  to  afternoon,  then  to  the  evening,  and  to  the 
next  day,  and  again  till  evening,  and  to  the  morning  of 
the  third  day.  "  The  aforesaid  several  adjournments,"  tlie 
record  says,  "  were  to  wait  for  the  result  of  the  Ecclesiastical 
Council  then  sitting  in  said  township."  The  third  morning, 
impatient,  apparently,  of  the  delay,  the  meeting  was  dis- 
solved. But,  during  the  third  day,  the  Council  finished  their 
deliberations;  and,  a  few  days  after,  another  proprietors' 
meeting  was  warned  to  assemble  Sept.  12,  with  an  article 
"  to  see  if  the  proprietors  will  agree  to  what  the  Ecclesiasti- 
cal Council  have  done  with  respect  to  Mr.  Daniel  Pond's 
dismission."  On  this  article,  it  was  voted  "  that  Mr.  Daniel 
Pond  be  dismissed  according  to  the  result  of  the  Ecclesias- 
tical Council  held  here  Aug.  2,  1759."  Mr.  Pond  seems  to 
have  ceased  to  officiate  immediately  after  the  decision  of  the 
Council.  The  proceedings  and  result  of  this  Council  are 
not  recorded,  either  on  the  books  of  the  proprietors  or  the 
Church  Records.  Probably  the  minutes  were  retained  by 
the  scribe  of  the  Council ;  and  nothing  remains  to  show 
what  pastors  and  churches  were  present  to  compose  it. 

At  the  meeting,  Sept.  12,  Mr.  Jonas  Wilder,  Rev.  Aaron 
Whitney  (of  Petersham),  and  Mr.  Abraham  Knowlton,  were 
chosen  "  a  Committee  to  provide  preaching  in  said  town- 
ship." 


108 


GROUND-PLAN   OF  THE  FIRST  MEETING-HOUSE. 


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The  above  nearly  represents  the  ground-plan  of  the  old  meeting-house  and  its  pew; 
as  it  was  towards  the  close  of  Rev.   Mr.  Spakhawk's  ministry. 


109 


PLAN   OF  THE   GALLERIES  IN  THE   FIRST  MEETING-HOUSE. 


WOMEN'S     GALLERY. 


(Seats  rising  gradually  higher,  one  above  another.) 


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At  the  time  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sparliawk's  ordination,  there  was 
only  one  pew  erected  in  the  meeting-house  :  it  was  adjoining 
the  pulpit-stairs,  and  was  given  to  Mr.  Sparhawk  by  a  vote 
passed  at  a  meeting  of  the  proprietors.  As  the  meeting- 
house had  been  built  by  a  tax  on  the  proprietors'  lands,  and 
not  upon  the  polls  or  personal  property  of  the  inhabitants, 
it  was  considered  just  that  the  privilege  of  having  pews 
should  belong  to  the  proprietors.  Accordingly  they  voted, 
at  a  meeting  held  Nov.  30, 1763,  "  first,  that  we  will  proceed 
to  the  disposing  of  the  pew-ground  in  the  meeting-house ; 
secondly,  that  John  Whitcomb,  Esq.,  have  one  pew  in  the 
meeting-house,  equal  to  others  in  general ;  thirdly,  that 
those  proprietors  that  have  the  most  lands  in  Templeton 
draw  the  other  pews,  they  building-  them^  and  ceiling  the 
meeting-house  from  the  lower  floor  to  the  bottom  of  the 
windows,  and  casing  them,  —  they  doing  the  ceiling  in  eight 
months,  and  building  their  pews  in  twenty  months  from 
this  day  ;  and,  upon  the  non-performance  of  these  condi- 
tions, each  person  failing  therein  to  forfeit  his  pew  to  the 
use  of  the  town." 

A  Committee  allotted  a  tier  of  peiv-spaces  around  the 
wall  of  the  house  to  eighteen  proprietors.  After  these  pews 
were  built,  the  central  space  within  was  filled  up  with 
ranges  of  long  seats,  occupied  by  women  on  the  east  side 
of  the  middle  aisle,  and  by  men  on  the  west  side.  At 
various  times  during  the  next  forty  years,  the  central  spaces 
were  disposed  of  for  pews,  with  the  exception  of  two  rows 
of  the  long  free-seats,  —  the  ones  nearest  the  pulpit.  The 
galleries  were  occupied  with  free-seats.  In  1770,  however, 
it  was  voted  that  Samuel  Wilder,  Edmond  Stone,  Joseph 
Osgood,  and  Abner  Miles,  "  for  their  rights  in  the  meeting- 
house, may  build  two  pews,  one  over  each  pair  of  gallery- 
stairs,  so  high  up  as  not  to  discommode  the  travelling  up 
stairs  nor  up  to  the  seats."  Two  other  long  pews  (or  four 
short  ones),  in  the  gallery,  back  of  the  singers,  were  after- 
wards disposed  of.  No  other  pews  were  ever  erected  in  the 
galleries.      In  1766,  it  was  voted  "  to  let  Mr.  Nathaniel 


Ill 


Holman  and  Mr.  James  Peirce  make  windows  in  their  pews, 
upon  their  own  cost,  and  so  as  to  leave  the  meeting-house 
decent."  For  many  years,  the  larger  portion  of  the  congre- 
gation occupied  the  long  free-seats  before  spoken  of.  The 
place  each  one  was  to  occupy  was  determined  by  a  Com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  town  to  "  seat  the  meeting-house." 
The  seats  of  most  dignity,  or  those  considered  most  eligible, 
were  assigned  to  the  largest  tax-payers ;  and  so  on  in  a 
graduated  order  throughout.  The  town  first  appointed 
such  a  Committee  in  1765.  The  duty  was  a  somewhat 
delicate  and  difficult  one.  To  say  nothing  of  other  points 
that  might  arise,  it  was  a  question  of  some  moment,  to  be 
settled  at  the  outset,  as  to  what  the  order  of  the  several 
seats  actually  was  in  point  of  "  dignity."  Not  wishing  to 
take  too  much  responsibility  on  themselves,  the  Committee 
asked  the  town  (an  article  for  the  purpose  being  inserted 
into  the  town-meeting  warrant)  "  to  dignify  the  seats ; " 
that  is,  determine  their  relative  rank.  But  the  article 
"  passed  in  the  negative  ;  "  and  so  the  Committee  had  to  do 
it  themselves.  Another  Committee  "  seated  the  meeting- 
house "  in  1770  ;  and  the  process  was  repeated  in  1778  and 
in  1797.  Throughout  Mr.  Sparhawk's  ministry,  it  was  cus- 
tomary for  the  whole  congregation  to  remain  in  their  places, 
after  the  close  of  the  services,  till  the  minister  had  left  the 
pulpit  and  passed  out  of  the  house.  In  1765,  the  town 
directed  that  "  the  people  move  out  of  the  seats,  after  divine 
service,  according  to  the  dignity  of  the  seats,  one  seat  at  a 
time." 

Over  the  minister's  head  was  the  ''  sounding-board,"  for- 
merly so  common.  Directly  before  the  pulpit,  and  facing 
the  congregation,  was  the  "  deacons'  seat."  As  long  as  the 
old  meeting-house  stood,  those  who  held  that  office  always 
occupied,  during  the  service  of  public  worship,  the  seat 
mentioned.  There  are  many  still  living  who  recollect  the 
venerable  forms  of  Deacon  Byam,  Deacon  Wilder,  and 
Deacon  Kendall,  as  they  appeared  occupying  that  position 
from  Sunday  to  Sunday,  half  a  century  ago. 


112 


The  first  meeting-house  was  long  left  iinpainted  ;  they 
could  not  afford  the  expense :  but  the  Building  Committee 
were  instructed  "  to  see  that  the  doors  and  luindows  are 
handsomely  colored."  Soon  after  the  incorporation  of  the 
town,  an  appropriation  was  made  of  fifty  pounds  "  towards 
finishing  the  meeting-house."  Extensive  repairs  were  made 
between  1785  and  1792.  It  was  then,  for  the  first  time, 
voted  to  paint  it,  —  to  be  "  of  the  color  of  Leominster." 


INSCRIPTION  ON  REV.   MR.   SPARHAWK'S   GRAVESTONE. 

A  horizontal  slab  is  placed  over  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk's 
grave,  which  is  near  the  meeting-house.  The  following  is 
a  copy  of  the  inscription  :  — 

IS     RAISES 
TO     THE     MEMORY     OF    THE     KEVEREND,     LEARNED,     AND     PIOUS 

EBENEZER   SPARHAWK,   A.M., 

Pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church,  Templeton, 

Who  exph'ed  Nov.  25,  A.D.  1805,  m  the  sixty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  and  forty-fifth 

of  his  ministry. 

Early  in  life,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  service  of  his  God  and  Saviour. 

Endued  with  good   powers  of  mind,  improved  by  education,  and  sanctified   by 

grace,  he  proved  a  burning  and  shining  light. 

In  the  pulpit  he  was  clear  and  pungent,  rightly  dividing  the  Word. 

In  the  circle  of  his  acquaintance  he  was  ever  a  welcome  guest,  his  conversation 

being  ever  pleasant  and  improving. 

From  a  child  he  knew  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  was  mighty  in  them. 

In  faith  he  was  sound  and  evangelical;  in  rectitude,  pure  and  exemplary. 

A  strict  adherence  to  the  order  and  discipline  of  the  churches  was  a  distinguishing 

trait  in  his  character. 

As  a  Husband  he  was  affectionate ;  as  a  Father,  tender. 

He  ruled  his  own  house  well;  and  his  children  arise  up  and  call  him  blessed. 

With  assiduity  and  fidelity  he  persevered  in  his  work,  until  called  to  receive  his 

reward. 

The  sun  shall  cease  to  shine,  and  stars  shall  fade  away,  and  earth  and  time 

grow  old  and  die ;  but  his  virtues  shall  live : 

and  the  eye  of  faith  and  charity  now  beholds  him  walking  high  in  salvation  and 

the  climes  of  bliss. 


113 


BUllYING-PLACES.  —  PUBLIC   COMMON. 

Ill  1754,  two  burial-places  were  laid  out  by  tlie  proprie- 
tors of  the  township,  —  one  at  the  site  of  the  meeting-house, 
and  one  at  the  west  part  of  the  township.  The  latter  was 
to  contain  one  acre ;  and  land  belonging  to  Thomas  Drury 
was  taken  for  the  purpose,  and  other  land  allowed  him  as 
a  substitute.  Mr.  Drury  was  paid  thirteen  shillings  and 
fourpence  for  clearing  the  lot.  At  the  meeting-house,  the 
burial-place  was  laid  out,  together  with  land  for  a  common, 
eight  acres  and  seventy  rods  in  the  whole.  William  Fletcher 
was  the  first  person  buried  in  it. 

The  survey  of  this  land,  made  Jan.  29, 1759,  is  recorded 
in  vol.  i.  of  the  Proprietors'  Records,  p.  37.  One  of  the 
bounds  then  was  a  beech-tree  ;  another,  a  hemlock-tree ; 
another,  a  maple-tree ;  another,  a  chestnut-stump.  Some 
difficulty  arising  about  the  boundary  between  this  lot  and 
Mr.  Abner  Newton's  land,  the  proprietors,  November,  1758, 
authorized  their  Committee  to  adjust  it  by  giving  or  re- 
ceiving deeds.  (Proprietors'  Records,  vol.  ii.  pp.  18,  19.) 
In  1759,  Abner  Newton  was  paid  "  for  clearing  the  Com- 
mon by  the  meeting-house."  In  1763,  the  Common  was 
further  cleared  of  trees  and  stumps. 

At  a  proprietors'  meeting.  May  3,  1786,  when  the  affairs 
of  that  corporation  were  being  drawn  towards  a  close,  a 
vote  was  passed  to  confirm  to  the  town  of  Templeton  this 
grant  of  the  burying-place  and  Common.  In  1814  and 
1816,  votes  were  passed  by  the  town  to  authorize  the  pur- 
chase of  land  to  enlarge  the  north  part  of  the  Common. 
In  1795,  the  town  voted  "  to  fence  the  burying-ground,  and 
have  the  walls  handsomely  topped  off."  At  various  times, 
the  town  authorized  the  Selectmen  to  make  repairs,  and 
provide  for  the  care  of  the  burial-place. 

In  1850,  the  town  purchased  the  large  lots  now  used  —  one 
at  Baldwinville,  and  one  near  the  Centre  —  for  new  burial 

15 


114 


places.  They  are  admirably  suited,  by  natural  adaptation, 
to  the  purpose.  Successful  efforts  have  already  been 
made  by  individuals  to  commence  the  ornamenting  of  these 
grounds  ;  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  they  will  indeed  become 
attractive  and  fitting  places  to  be  associated  with  the  hal- 
lowed memories  of  the  departed.  May  all  good  citizens  do 
their  part  in  the  work ! 


COPY  OF  THE  ACT  OF  INCORPORATION  OF  THE  TOWN. 


ANNO  REGNI  >  Tt    Q  1  5  REGIS  GEORGII 

TERTII,        5  L^.to.J  ^        SECUNDO. 


An  Act  for  incorporating  the   "Plantation  called  Narraganset  No.  6,  in  the 
County  of  Worcester^  into  a  Toicn  hy  the  Name  of  Templetown. 

Whereas  the  plantation  of  Nakraganset  No.  6,  lying  in  the 
county  of  Worcester,  is  competently  filled  with  inhabitants  who 
labor  under  great  difficulties  and  inconveniences  by  means  of  their 
not  being  a  town ;  therefore  — 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor,  Council,  and  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, That  the  said  plantation,  commonly  called  and  known 
by  the  name  of  Narraganset  No.  6,  bounding  westerly  on  Poquioge, 
southerly  on  Rutland  District  and  Petersham,  easterly  on  West- 
minster, northerly  on  Ipswich- Canada  and  Royalshire,  be,  and  here- 
by is,  erected  into  a  town  by  the  name  of  Templetown  ;  and  that  the 
said  town  he,  and  hereby  is,  invested  with  all  the  powers,  privileges, 
and  immunities  that  any  of  the  towns  of  this  province  do  or  may 
by  law  enjoy  ;  — 

Provided  that  nothing  in  this  Act  shall  be  so  understood  or  con- 
strued as  in  any  measure  to  supersede  or  make  void  any  grants  or 
assessments  already  made  or  agreed  on  by  the  proprietors  of  said 
place  in  time  past,  but  that  the  same  shall  remain  and  be  as 
effectual  as  if  this  Act  had  not  been  made. 

And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  Joshua  Willard,  Esq.,  be,  and 
hereby  is,  empowered  to  issue  his  warrants  to  some  principal  inhabi- 
tant of  the  said  plantation,  requiring  him,  in  his  majesty's  name,  to 
warn  and  notify  the  said  inhabitants  qualified  to  vote  in  town-affairs, 
that  they  meet  together  at  such  time  and  place  in  said  plantation  as 
by  said  warrant  shall  be  appointed,  to  choose  such  officers  as  may 
be  necessary  to  manage  the  affairs  of  said  town ;   and  the  inhabi- 


115 


tants,  being  so  met,  shall  be,  and  hereby  are,  empowered  to  clioose 
said  officers  accordingly. 

Feb.  23,  1762.  —  This  Bill,  having  been  read  three  several  times 
in  the  House  of  Representatives,  passed  to  be  enacted. 

James  Otis,  Speaker. 

Feb.  23,  1762.  —  This  Bill,  having  been  read  three  several  times 
in  Council,  passed  to  be  enacted. 

March  6,  1762. — By  the  Governor,  I  consent  to  the  enacting 
this  Bill.  FiiA.  Bernard. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  foregoing  Act  of  Incorpora- 
tion spells  the  name  Templetown.  It  is  so  spelled  also  in 
the  earliest  town-records.  But  in  the  Tax  Act,  passed  by  the 
General  Court  in  1763,  it  was  spelled  Templeton.  The 
Selectmen  repeatedly  called  it  so  in  their  official  papers  in 
1763.  Both  ways  were  used  by  the  Selectmen  in  the  same 
instrument  in  a  "  warning  out"  in  1765  ;  but  after  Febru- 
ary, 1764,  the  name  was  always  called  Templeton  in  the 
town-meeting  warrants. 

There  has  been  a  tradition  that  the  town  was  so  called 
after  "  some  person  "  who  bore  the  name  of  Temple ;  but 
whether  it  was  in  commemoration  of  the  family  of  that 
name  celebrated  in  English  history,  or  for  one  more  obscure 
in  station,  is  now  unknown. 


TAXES  GRANTED  BY  THE  PROPRIETORS. 

While  the  affairs  of  the  township  were  managed  by  the 
proprietors,  from  1732  to  1762,  the  taxes  granted  by  them, 
which  were  laid  equally  upon  each  original  right,  were 
nearly  of  the  following  amounts  :  — 

Various  sums,  in  old-tenor  currency,  granted  before  any 
of  the  lots  were  settled,  for  incidental  expenses 
in  procuring  the  grant,  dividing  the  lands,  holding 
meetings,  and  for  roads,  &c.,  —  equal  in  silver,  for     £     s.     d. 
each  lot,  to  about 100 


116 


Tax  on  each  *' non-settler's "  lot,  mostly  paid  to  those  £     s.     d. 

who  did  settle,  —  equal,  in  lawful  money,  to  about  16     8 

For  highways 3  10     8 

For  building  meeting-house 100 

For  supply  of  pulpit,  and  for  the  "  settlement "  and  sala- 
ries of  Rev.  Mr.  Pond  and  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk, 

before  incorporation  of  town,  about 5     0     0 

Tax  for  building  grist-mill 060 

Taxes  for  incidental  expenses,  at  various  times,  about     .118 

So  that  the  whole  amount  of  taxation  on  each  original 
share  in  the  township,  previous  to  the  incorporation  of  the 
town,  was  not  far  from  X13.  5s.,  —  equal  to  ^44.17. 


TAXES    IN     1763. 

The  town-taxes  assessed  in  Templeton  in  1763,  the  next 
year  after  its  incorporation  as  a  town,  amounted,  beside 
the  highway-tax,  to  £25:  namely,  £15,  equal  to  ^50,  for 
schools  and  town-charges  ;  and  <£10,  equal  to  $33.33,  for 
building  a  bridge  over  Otter  River.  This  sum  of  X25  was 
assessed  upon  about  eighty  persons.  Nearly  three-fourths 
of  the  amount  was  laid  upon  polls,  and  only  about  one- 
quarter  on  the  property.  The  highest  tax  to  any  individual 
on  real  estate  was  four  shillings  and  one  penny.  The  fol- 
lowing is  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  persons  taxed :  — 


John  Atwood. 
Charles  Baker. 
Zaccheus  Barrett. 
Timothy  Butterfield. 
Jacob  Byam. 
Phinehas  Byam. 
Samuel  Byam. 
Joshua  Church. 
John  Cobleigh. 
James  Carruth. 
John  Chamberlin. 


John  Crossett. 
Wilham  Crossett. 
Reuben  Cummings. 
Eleazer  Davis. 
John  Death. 
Thomas  Drury. 
Caleb  Fletcher. 
Joel  Fletcher. 
Timothy  Ilaild. 
Israel  Hale. 
Stephen  Haskell. 


117 


Nathaniel  Ilolman. 
Nathaniel  Holman,  jun. 
Jonathan  Holman. 
Joseph  Horton. 
Ebenezer  Horton. 
Joseph  Kendrick. 
Capt.  Thomas  How. 
John  How. 
Abel  Hunt. 
Enoch  Jewett. 
Silas  Jones. 
Ezekiel  Knowlton. 
Joshua  Lamb. 
Dennis  Locklin. 
Noah  Merritt. 
John  Macklewaine. 
George  Nicholas. 
William  Oak. 
Seth  Oak. 
Samuel  Osgood. 
James  Peirce. 
Jason  Parmenter. 
Samuel  Rice. 
Samuel  Ross. 
John  Richardson. 
Israel  Richardson. 
Abraham  Sawyer. 


Thomas  Sawyer. 
Abncr  Sawyer. 
Samuel  Sawyer. 
Hezekiah  Sprague. 
Henry  Sawtell. 
Enoch  vSawtell. 
John  Stuart. 
Jeremiah  Stuart. 
Ephraim  Shattuck. 
Silas  Shattuck. 
Levi  Sylvester. 
Jacob  Spaulding. 
John  Wheeler. 
John  Wheeler,  jun. 
Jason  Whitney. 
Moses  Whitney. 
Thomas  Witt. 
Jonas  Wilder. 
Josiah  Wilder. 
John  Wilder. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Joshua  Wright. 
Job  Whitcomb. 
Joseph  White. 
Thomas  White. 
Benjamin  Wesson. 


The  following  persons  were  also  taxed,  in  1763,  for  real 
estate  only  ;  and  were  therefore  probably  non-residents :  — 


David  Goddard. 
Daniel  Goddard. 


James  Kendall. 
James  Simonds. 


SUMS  GRANTED  BY  THE  TOWN,  EACH  YEAR  SINCE  ITS  INCOR- 
PORATION, FOR  HIGHWAYS,  FOR  SCHOOLS,  AND  FOR  TOWN- 
CHARGES,  INCLUDING   SPECIAL   GRANTS. 


1762 
1763 


Highways. 

.£40 
.     40 


Schools. 

.£00 
.     15* 


Tovm- 
charges. 

£10 

10  t 


School  and  town  charges. 


t  For  bridge  over  Otter  River. 


118 


Town- 

Year. 

Highways. 

Schools. 

charges. 

1764  .   .   , 

.   .   .  £50  .   .   . 

.  .  £10  .  . 

.  .  .   £6 

1765  .  .  . 

,  .  .   53  .  .  . 

.  .   16  .  . 

.  .  .   12 

1766  .  .  . 

.  .  100  .  .  . 

.  .   20  .  . 

.  .  .   13 

1767  .  .  . 

,  .  .  100  .  .  . 

.  .   20  .  . 

.  .  .   10 

1768  .  .  . 

.  .  100  .  .  . 

.  .   20  .  . 

.  .  .    6 

1769  .  .  . 

,  .  .  100  .  .  . 

.  .   25  .  . 

.  .  .   20 

1770  .  .  . 

.  .  100  .  .  . 

.  .   40  .  . 

.  .  .    6 

1771  .  .  . 

,  .  .  100  .  .  . 

.  .   35  .  . 

.  .  .   42 

1772  .  .  . 

.  .  125  .  .  . 

.  .   35  .  .  , 

.  .  .   36 

1773  .  .  . 

,  .  .  140  .  .  . 

.  .   40  .  . 

.  .  .   40 

1774  .  .  . 

,  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .   35  .  . 

.  .  .   30 

1775  .  .  . 

.  .   50  .  .  . 

.  .   20  .  . 

.  .  .    0 

1776  .  .  . 

,  .  .   60  .  .  . 

.  .   35  .  . 

.  .  .   30 

1777  .  .  . 

,  .  .   80  .  .  . 

.  .   50  .  . 

.  .  .   45 

1778  .  .  . 

.  .  300*   .  . 

.  .   60*   . 

.  .  .  200* 

1779  .  .  . 

,  .   1,200*   .  . 

.   1,200*   . 

.  .   1,000  * 

1780  .  .  . 

,  .   7,000 1   .  . 

.   6,000  *   . 

.  .   4,000* 

1781  .  .  . 

.  10,500 1   .  . 

.  12,000  .  . 

.  .  20,000  § 

1782  .  .  . 

,  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .  100  .  . 

.  .  .   50 

1783  .  .  . 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .  100  .  . 

.  .  .   00 

1784  .  .  . 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .  100  .  . 

.  .  .   00 

1785  .  .  . 

.  .  .  200  .  .  . 

.  .  100  .  . 

.  .  .   00 

1786  .  .  . 

,  .  .  250  .  .  . 

.  .  100  .  . 

.  .  .   30 

1787  .  .  . 

.  .  .  100  .  .  . 

.  .   66|.  . 

.  .  .  140  11 

1788  .  .  . 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .   50  .  . 

.  .  .   00 

1789  .  .  , 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .   40  .  . 

.  .  .   00 

1790  .  .  . 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .   45  .  . 

.  .  .   00 

1791  .  .  , 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .   60  .  . 

.  .  .   10 

1792  .  .  , 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .   60  .  . 

.  .  .   301F 

1793  .  .  , 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .   60  .  . 

.  .  .   20 

1794  .  . 

.  .  .  150  .  .  . 

.  .   60  .  . 

.  .  .   30 

1795  .  .  , 

.  .  .  250  .  .  . 

.  .   75  .  . 

.  .  .  120 

1796  .  . 

.  .  $1,000**  .  . 

.  .  $267  .  . 

.  .  .  $800 

1797  .  . 

.  .   1,000  .  .  . 

.  .  270  .  . 

.  .  .  700 

1798  .  .  . 

.  .   1,000  .  .  . 

.  .  270  .  . 

.  .  .  500 

1799  .  . 

.  .   1,000  .  .  . 

.  .  270  .  . 

.  .  .  500 

1800  .  . 

.  .   1,000  .  .  . 

.  .  270  .  . 

.  .  .  400 

1801  .  . 

.  .   1,000  .  .  . 

.  .  300  .  . 

.  .  .  200 

1802  .  . 

.  .   1,000  .  .  . 

.  .  400  .  . 

.  .  .  150 

1803  .  . 

.  .   1,000  .  .  . 

.  .  400  .  . 

.  .  .  600 

*  Nominal.    Paper  currency  depi-eciated. 
t  Nominal.    20s.  an  horn"  for  a  man's  work. 
t  Nominal.     $5  an  hour  for  a  man's  work. 

^  In  August,  1781,  granted,  instead,  £350  silver,  and  £300  silver  for  the  three- 
years'  soldiers. 

II  Of  this  grant,  £120  to  build  and  repair  sclioolhouses. 

^  And  £70  additional  for  schoolhouses. 

**  After  1795,  the  accounts  were  changed  from  English  to  Federal  currency. 


119 


Year. 
1804 

1805 
1806 
1807 
1808 
1809 
1810 
1811 
1812 
1813 
1814 
1815 
1816 
1817 
1818 
1819 
1820 
1821 
1822 
1823 
1824 
1825 
1826 
1827 
1828 
1829 
1830 
1831 
1832 
1833 
1834 
1835 
1836 
1837 
1838 
1839 
1840 
1841 
1842 
1843 
1844 
1845 


Highways. 

$1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

800  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,000  . 

1,200  . 

1,200  . 

1,200  . 

1,000  . 

1,200  . 

1,200  . 

1,200  . 

1,200  . 

600* 

1,500  . 

1,600  . 

1,500  . 

1,600  . 

2,000  . 

1,500  . 

1,500  . 

1,500  . 

1,500  . 

1,875  . 

1,800  . 

1,500  . 

1,500  . 


Schools. 

$400 

450 

450 

450 

450 

450 

450 

450 

450 

450 

500 

550 

550 

500 

600 

,  600 

,  550 

,  500 

,  550 

,  550 

,  600 

.  600 

.  600 

.     500 

,  500 

.  600 

.  550 

.  600 

.  600 

.  700 

,  700 

,  700 

,  954 

1,300 

.  800 1 

.  800 1 

.  800 1 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 

1,000 


Town- 
charges. 

$600 

300 

200 

300 

200 

200 

200 

000 

500 

1,000 

600 

400 

800 

1,000 

1,100 

900 

900 

300 

500 

600 

600 

600 

700 

1,800 

700 

450 

550 

800 

500 

500 

700 

1,075 

600 

1,000 

1,000 

1,500 

1,050 

2,500  I 

2,700  § 

3,000  II 

2,500  II 

2,800  II 


in  money. 

added  to  the  school  appropriation ;  it  being 


*  This  grant  was  assessed  to  be  paid 
t  For  three  years,  $200  a  year  was 
the  interest  on  the  sm-plus  revenue. 
X  $1,500  of  this  for  new  road. 
§  $1,700  of  this  for  road  and  poor-farm  debts. 
II  Including  payment  toward  road-debt;  about  $1,000  a  year. 


120 


Year.                                 Highways.                                 Schools. 

Town- 
charges. 

1846     ....  $1,500      ....  $1,000     .     .     . 

.  $3,500  * 

1847 

.     1,500      . 

1,000      .     . 

.     3,200  * 

1848 

.     1,575      . 

1,000      .     . 

.     4,000  * 

1849 

.     1,500  t  . 

1,300      .     . 

.     3,500* 

1850 

.     1,1001  .     . 

1,300      .     .     . 

.     3,000* 

1851 

.     1,300      . 

1,300     .     . 

.     5,000* 

1852 

.     .     1,400     . 

1,300      .     .     . 

.     3,500* 

1853 

.     1,400      . 

1,500  §  .     . 

.     2,500 

1854 

.     1,500      . 

.     1,500     .     . 

.     .     2,800  II 

1855 

.     1,700      . 

.     1,500      .     . 

.     .     3,500  II 

1856 

.     .     2,000      . 

.     2,000  «i[  .     . 

.     .     4,000  II 

SELECTMEN. 


The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Selectmen  of  Templeton 
from  the  beginning  to  the  present  time.  From  1762  to 
1786,  the  whole  original  township  was  together.  In  1786, 
the  town  of  "  Gerry  "  was  set  off  from  Templeton. 


1762. 
Jason  Whitney. 
Joshua  Hyde. 
Abner  Newton. 


1763. 
Nathaniel  Holman. 
Charles  Baker. 
Jonas  Wilder. 


1764. 
John  Richardson.** 
Charles  Baker. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 


Jonas  Wilder. 
Abel  Hunt. 

1765. 
Joshua  Church. 
Joshua  Wright. 
Jason  Whitney. 
Jonathan  Holman. 
Samuel  Sawyer. 

1766. 
Charles  Baker. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Abel  Hunt. 
Jonas  Wilder. 
Joshua  Wright. 


*  Including  pa^^ment  toward  road-debt;  about  $1,000  a  year, 
t  $300  of  this  "in  money. 

j  From  1850  to  the  present  time,  the  highway-taxes  have  been  made  payable  in 
money. 

§  $141  additional  expended  for  school-apparatus. 

II  From  1854  to  1856,  $3,000  additional  was  assessed  each  year  for  the  new  roads. 
^  $350  granted  for  High  School,  beside  the  $2,000  for  the"  common  schools. 
**  Moses  Whitney  was  elected  on  the  resignation  of  John  Richardson. 


121 


1767. 
Henry  Saw  tell. 
John  Wheeler,  jun. 
John  Death. 
Joseph  White. 
Jonathan  Holman. 

17G8. 
Ezekiel  Knowlton. 
Charles  Baker. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Silas  Jones. 
John  Wheeler,  jun. 

1769. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 
John  Cobleigh. 
Jonas  Wilder. 
Charles  Baker. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 

1770. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 
Jonas  Wilder. 
Josiah  Wilder. 
Charles  Baker. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 

1771. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 

Samuel  Taylor. 
John  Richardson. 
Charles  Baker. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 

1772. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 
John  Brigham. 
John  Richardson. 
Thomas  White. 
John  Cobleigh. 

1773. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Joshua  Wright. 
Thomas  White. 
Joel  Grout. 


1774. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 

Ebenezer  Wriglit. 
Joshua  Wright. 
Abner  Sawyer. 
Joel  Grout. 

1775. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 
William  Sprague. 
Thomas  White. 
Abel  Hunt. 
Joel  Grout. 

1776. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 
Simon  Slocomb. 
Thomas  White. 
William  Sprague. 
Henry  Sawtell. 

1777. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Abner  Sawyer. 
Joel  Fletcher. 
John  Wheeler. 

1778. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Jonathan  Jones. 
Thaddeus  Brown. 
Ezekiel  Knowlton. 

1779. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Jonathan  Jones. 
Joel  Fletcher. 
Thomas  White. 
Ezekiel  Knowlton. 

1780. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Jonathan  Jones. 
Ezekiel  Knowlton. 
Thomas  White. 
Silas  Cutler. 


16 


122 


1781. 

Ebenezer  Wright. 
Jonathan  Jones. 
Capt.  Ezekiel  Knowlton. 
Thomas  White. 
Silas  Cutler. 

1782. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Joel  Grout. 
Simon  Stone. 
Gardner  Maynard. 
Josiah  Wilder. 

1783. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Charles  Baker. 
Samuel  Cook. 
Jonathan  Stratton. 
Deacon  Paul  Kendall. 

1784. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Charles  Baker. 
Samuel  Cook. 
Jonathan  Stratton. 
Deacon  Paul  Kendall. 

1785. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Charles  Baker. 
Samuel  Cook. 
Jonathan  Stratton. 
Deacon  Paul  Kendall. 

1786. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Charles  Baker. 
Samuel  Cook. 
Jonathan  Stratton. 
Deacon  Paul  Kendall. 

1787. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Deacon  Paul  Kendall. 
Jonathan  Baldwin. 
Capt.  John  Richardson. 
Capt.  Josiah  Wilder. 


1788. 
Joshua  Wright. 
Joel  Fletcher. 
Samuel  Cook. 
Simon  Stone. 
Moses  Holbrook. 

1789. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Joel  Fletcher. 
Jotham  Sawyer.^-. 
Simon  Stone.    ,    •  "■■'  ' 
Aholiab  Sawyer. 

1790. 
Ebenezer  Wright. 
Jotham  Sawyer. 
Timothy  Parker. 
Samuel  Cook. 
Capt.  Leonard  Stone. 

1791. 
Silas  Hazelton. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Aholiab  Sawyer. 
Simon  Stone. 

1792. 
Silas  Hazelton. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Aholiab  Saw^yer. 
Simon  Stone. 

1793. 
Silas  Hazelton. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Aholiab  Sawyer. 
Silas  Church. 

1794. 
Silas  Hazelton. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Aholiab  Sawyer. 
Silas  Church. 


..iM' 


123 


1795. 
Joshua  Wright. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Aholiab  Sawyer. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
WiUiam  Goodell. 

1796. 
Joshua  Wright. 
SiLas  Cutler. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Sihis  Church. 

1797. 
Joshua  Wright. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Stephen  Bush. 
Joseph  Balcomb. 

1798. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Joseph  Balcomb. 
Stephen  Bush. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
James  Dolbear. 

1799. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
Stephen  Bush. 
Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 
Jonathan  Orcutt. 

1800. 
Benjamin  Read. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Silas  Church. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
Stephen  Knowlton. 

1801. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Silas  Church. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Timothy  Parker. 


1802. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Asa  Turner. 
David  Cobleigh. 

1803. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Silas  Cutler. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Asa  Turner. 
David  Cobleigh. 

1804. 
Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 
Sylvanus  Howe. 
Moses  Wright. 
Silas  Church. 
Aaron  Jones,  jun. 

1805. 
Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 
Thomas  Fisher. 

Moses  Wright. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 

1806. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Stephen  Bush. 
Eleazer  Davis. 
Jonathan  Holman. 

1807. 
Moses  Wright. 
Stephen  Bush. 
Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 
Lovell  Walker. 
Eleazer  Davis. 

1808. 
Moses  Wright. 
Adam  Jones. 
Elisha  Cook. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Jonathan  Orcutt. 


124 


1809. 
Moses  Wright. 
Adam  Jones. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Jonathan  Orcutt. 
Asa  Turner. 

1810. 
Moses  Wright. 
Adam  Jones. 
Thomas  Fisher. 
Jonathan  Orcutt. 
Asa  Turner. 

1811. 

Moses  Wright. 
David  Cobleigh. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Aaron  Jones. 
Cyrus  Brown. 

1812. 

Moses  Wright. 
David  Cobleigh, 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Aaron  Jones. 
Joshua  Richardson. 

1813. 
Samuel  Cutting. 
David  Cobleigh. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 
Ephraim  Stone. 

1814. 
John  W.  Stiles. 
David  Cobleigh. 
Moses  Wright. 
Aaron  Fiske. 
Ephraim  Stone. 

1815. 
John  W.  Stiles. 
Samuel  Cutting. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Elisha  Cook. 


1816. 
Moses  Wright. 
Samuel  Cutting. 
Col.  Leonard  Stone. 
Aaron  Fiske. 
Ezekiel  Partridge. 

1817. 
Moses  Wright. 
Joshua  Richardson. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Paul  Kendall,  jun. 

1818. 
Joshua  Richardson. 
David  Cobleigh. 
Ephraim  Stone. 

1819. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
Simeon  Merritt. 
Levi  Norcross. 
Gillam  Wilder. 
Samuel  Cutting. 

1820. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Simeon  Merritt. 
Levi  Norcross. 

1821. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Simeon  Merritt. 
Levi  Norcross. 

1822. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Levi  Noi'cross. 
Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 


125 


1823. 
Eden  Baldwin. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Levi  Norcross. 
William  Brown. 

1824. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Eleazer  Davis. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Levi  Norcross. 
Moses  Leland. 

1825. 
Eleazer  Davis. 
Moses  Leland. 
Ephraim  Stone. 
Elisha  Cook. 
Samuel  Dadman. 

1826. 
Samuel  Dadman, 
Elisha  Cook. 
Joseph  Jackson. 
John  Sawyer. 
Joshua  Sawyer. 

1827. 
Ephraim  Stone. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Joshua  Richardson. 
Joshua  W.  Whitcomb. 
Samuel  Lee. 

1828. 
Ephraim  Stone. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Joshua  Richardson. 
Joshua  W.  AYhitcomb. 
Samuel  Lee. 

1829. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Joshua  Richardson. 
Samuel  Lee. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Daniel  Norcross. 


1830. 
Ephraim  Stone. 
Leonard  Stone. 
Cooper  Sawyer. 
Joseph  ITpham. 
George  W.  Jones. 

1831. 
Samuel  Lee. 
Artemas  Lee. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 
Calvin  Townsley. 
Joseph  Upham. 

1832. 
Ephraim  Stone. 
Samuel  Lee. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 
Calvin  Townsley. 
Henry  Newton. 

1833. 
Samuel  Dadman. 
Calvin  Townsley. 
Henry  Newton. 
Moses  Leland. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 

1834. 
Henry  Newton. 
Moses  Leland. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 
William  Graham. 
Nathan  Farnsworth. 

1835. 
Ephraim  Stone. 
William  Graham. 
Joseph  Davis. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 
Nathan  Farnsworth. 

1836. 
Ephraim  Stone. 
Gilman  Day. 
Joseph  Davis. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 
Nathan  Farnsw^orth. 


126 


1837. 
Ephraim  Stone. 
Gilman  Day. 
Elijah  B.  Newton. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 
Nathan  Farnsworth. 

1838. 
Joseph  Davis. 
Stephen  S.  Maynard. 
EHjah  B.  Newton. 
Israel  P.  Sibley. 
Joseph  Upham. 

1839. 
Joseph  Davis. 
Stephen  S.  Maynard. 
George  W.  Jones. 
Israel  P.  Sibley. 
Charles  T.  Fisher. 

1840. 
Jotham  Goodnow. 
Stephen  S.  Maynard. 
Gilman  Day. 
Hermon  Partridge. 
Charles  T.  Fisher. 

1841. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 
Jotham  Goodnow. 
Samuel  Lee. 
Thomas  Parker. 
Lemuel  B.  Howe. 

1842. 
Thomas  Parker. 
Lemuel  B.  Howe. 
Hermon  Partridge. 
Benjamin  Ilawkes. 
Samuel  D.  Morley. 

1843. 
Benjamin  Hawkes. 
Nathan  Farnsworth. 
Hermon  Partridge. 
Joshua  Hosmer. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 


1844. 
Joshua  Hosmer. 
Benjamin  Hawkes. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 
John  W.  Work. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 

1845. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 
Benjamin  Hawkes. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 
Nathan  Farnsworth. 
Joshua  Sawyer,  jun. 

1846. 
Benjamin  Hawkes. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 
Stillman  Norcross. 
Nathan  Farnsworth. 
Leonard  Stone,  jun. 

1847. 
Benjamin  Hawkes. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 
Leonard  Stone,  jun. 

1848. 
Benjamin  Hawkes. 
Augustus  A.  Jones. 
Leonard  Stone,  jun. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 
Merrick  E.  Ainsworth. 

1849. 
John  W.  Work. 
Merrick  E.  Ainsworth. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 

1850. 
Dexter  Gilbert. 
John  W.  Work. 
James  H.  Clapp. 

1851. 
John  W.  Work. 
James  II.  Clapp. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 


127 


1852. 

John  W.  Work. 
James  II.  Clapp. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 


1853. 

John  W.  Work. 
Benjamin  Havvkes. 
Moses  Elliott. 
Warren  Simonds. 
Seth  Webb. 


1854. 
Edward  Ilosmor. 
Benjamin  Ilawkes. 
Moses  Klliott. 

1855. 
Edward  Ilosmer.* 
Benjamin  Hawkes. 
Otis  Warren. 

1850. 
John  Sawyer  2d. 
Joshua  Sawyer,  jun. 
George  F.  Ilawkes. 


TOWN  CLEUKS  AND   TOWN  TREASUKERS  FROM  THE  BEGIN- 
NING TO   THE  PRESENT  TIME. 


Year. 

Town  Clerks. 

Town  Treasurers. 

1762. 

Abel  Hunt Zacchens 

Barrett. 

1763. 

Nathaniel  Holman Phinehas 

Byam. 

1764. 

John  Richardson ;  removed  from  ^ 

town;   and  Abel  Hunt  was  >      Phinehas 

Byam. 

chosen  in  his  place.                  J 

1765. 

Ebenezer  Wright Phinehas 

Byam. 

1766. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Zacchens 

Barrett. 

1767. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Zaccheus 

Barrett. 

1768. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Phinehas 

Byam. 

1769. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Phinehas 

Byam. 

1770. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

John  Cobleigh. 

1771. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

John  Cobleigh. 

1772. 

John  Richardson  . 

Abner  Si 

Lwyer. 

1773. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Abner  Sawyer. 

1774. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Abner  Sn 

wyer. 

1775. 

Jonathan  BaldAvin 

Phinehas 

Byam. 

1776. 

Simon  Slocomb    . 

Phinehas 

Byam. 

1777. 

Jonathan  Baldwin 

.     Phinehas 

Byam. 

1778. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

.     Ebenezei 

French. 

1779. 

Silas  Cutler     .     . 

.     Ebenezer  French. 

1780. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

.     Ebenezer  French. 

1781. 

Silas  Cutler 

.     Phinehas 

Byam. 

*  John  Sawyer  2(i  was  chosen  Selectman  after  the  death  of  Edward  Hosmer. 


128 


Year. 

Town  Clerks. 

Town  Treasurers. 

1782. 

Ebenezer  Wright Joshua  Wright. 

1783. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Joshua  Wright. 

1784. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Joshua  Wright. 

1785. 

Ebenezer  Wriglit 

Joshua  Wright. 

1786. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Joshua  W^right. 

1787. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Jonathan  Cutting. 

1788. 

Joshua  Wright     . 

Ebenezer  French. 

1789. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Fisk  How. 

1790. 

Ebenezer  Wright 

Fisk  How. 

1791. 

Silas  Hazehon 

Fisk  How. 

1792. 

Silas  Hazehon 

Fisk  How. 

1793. 

Silas  Hazehon 

Fisk  How. 

1794. 

Silas  Hazehon 

Fisk  How. 

1795. 

Joshua  Wright     . 

Fisk  How. 

1796. 

Joshua  Wright 

Fisk  How. 

1797. 

Joshua  Wright 

Silas  Hazehon. 

1798. 

Dr.  Josiali  Howe 

Silas  Hazehon. 

1799. 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe 

James  Dolbear. 

1800. 

Benjamin  Read 

Thomas  Fisher. 

1801. 

Thomas  Fisher 

James  Dolbear. 

1802. 

Thomas  Fisher 

James  Dolbear. 

1803. 

Thomas  Fisher 

.     James  Dolbear. 

1804. 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe 

James  Dolbear. 

1805. 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe 

Lovell  Walker. 

1806. 

Moses  Wright 

Ehsha  Cook. 

1807. 

Moses  Wriglit 

Ehsha  Cook. 

1808. 

Moses  Wright 

John  W.  Stiles. 

1809. 

Moses  Wright 

John  W.  Stiles. 

1810. 

Moses  Wright 

John  W.  Stiles. 

1811. 

Moses  Wright 

John  W.  Stiles. 

1812. 

Moses  Wright 

John  AV.  Stiles. 

1813. 

Samuel  Cutting 

.     Thomas  Fisher. 

1814. 

John  W.  Stiles 

Thomas  Fisher. 

1815. 

John  W.  Stiles 

Benjamin  Read. 

1816. 

Moses  Wright 

.     Benjamin  Read. 

1817. 

Moses  Wright 

.     Benjamin  Read. 

1818. 

Moses  Wright 

.     Benjamin  Read. 

1819. 

Thomas  Fisher 

.     Benjamin  Read. 

1820. 

Thomas  Fisher 

I>enjamin  Read. 

1821. 

Thomas  Fisher 

Benjamin  Read. 

1822. 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe 

Benjamin  Read. 

1823. 

John  Bigelow  . 

Benjamin  Read.* 

1824. 

John  Bigelow  . 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 

1825. 

John  Bigelow  . 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 

1826. 

John  Bigelow  . 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 

1827. 

John  Bigelow  . 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 

*  Eden  Baldwin  was  elected  on  the  decease  of  Benjamin  Read. 


129 


Year.  Town  Clerks.  Town  Treasurers. 

1828.  John  Bigelow Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 

1829.  John  Bigelow John  Bigelow. 

1830.  John  Bigelow John  Bigelow. 

1831.  John  Bigelow John  Bigelow. 

1832.  John  Bigelow John  Bigelow. 

1833.  John  Bigelow John  Bigelow. 

1834.  John  Bigelow John  Bigelow. 

1835.  Thomas  J.  Waite John  Bigelow. 

1836.  Thomas  J.  Waite John  Bigelow. 

1837.  Rufus  Wyman Ej^hraim  Stone. 

1838.  Rufus  Wyman Ephraim  Stone. 

1839.  Rufus  Wyman David  Whitcomb. 

1840.  Joseph  Mason David  Whitcomb. 

1841.  Joseph  Mason John  W.  Work. 

1842.  Dexter  Gilbert John  W.  Work. 

1843.  Dexter  Gilbert John  W.  Work. 

1844.  Dexter  Gilbert John  W.  Work. 

1845.  Dexter  Gilbert Dexter  Gilbert. 

1846.  Dexter  Gilbert Dexter  Gilbert. 

1847.  Dexter  Gilbert Giles  H.  Whitney. 

1848.  Dexter  Gilbert Joshua  Hosmer. 

1849.  Dexter  Gilbert Joshua  Hosmer. 

1850.  Dexter  Gilbert Joshua  Hosmer. 

1851.  Dexter  Gilbert Joshua  Hosmer. 

1852.  Dexter  Gilbert David  Whitcomb. 

1853.  Dexter  Gilbert David  Whitcomb. 

1854.  Rev.  Gerard  Bushnell Giles  H.  Whitney. 

1855.  Rev.  Gerard  Bushnell Henry  Smith. 

1856..  Rev.  Gerard  Bushnell Henry  Smith. 


REPRESENTATIVES  TO  THE  GENERAL  COURT. 

The  town  sent  no  representative  to  the  General  Court  till 
the  revolutionary  strife  was  drawing  near.  In  1762,  1765, 
1766,  and  1767,  there  was  no  article  in  the  town-meeting 
warrants  on  the  subject  of  sending  a  representative ;  and, 
of  course,  no  action  was  taken.  In  each  of  the  other  nine 
years,  — from  1762  to  1774,  inclusive,  — the   town  voted 

17 


130 


not  to  send.  Gov.  Gage  convoked  the  General  Court  to 
meet  at  Salem,  on  the  5th  of  October,  1774,  by  proclama- 
tion dated  Sept.  1  of  that  year.  The  people  of  Templeton 
were  already  burnmg  with  the  sentiments  of  liberty,  and 
opposition  to  the  British  aggressions.  A  town-meeting  had 
been  called  to  assemble  on  the  2btli  of  August^  the  warrant 
for  which  had  an  article,  with  one  clause  in  these  words : 
"  And  act  upon  any  other  matter  relative  to  the  supporting 
of  our  charter-rights  and  liberties  as  seems  most  proper." 
This  town-meeting  was  continued,  by  successive  adjourn- 
ments, to  Sept.  26.  On  that  day,  with  no  other  article  than 
the  foregoing  to  support  the  action,  the  record  says  the 
town  "voted  to  choose  a  representative."  —  "Chose  Mr. 
Jonathan  Baldwin  to  represent  the  town  at  the  Great  and 
General  Court  to  be  holden  at  Salem  the  present  year." 

On  the  28th  of  September,  Gov.  Gage,  alarmed  by  the 
tokens  of  public  spirit  that  were  everywhere  manifested, 
issued  a  proclamation  declaring  his  "  intention  not  to  meet 
the  said  General  Court  at  Salem  on  the  said  fifth  day  of  Oc- 
tober next,"  and  declaring  that  the  representatives  elected  to 
serve  at  the  same  were  discharged  from  giving  their  attend- 
ance. But,  on  the  5th  of  October,  ninety  of  the  representa- 
tives thus  elected  met  at  Salem.  They  cautiously  waited 
through  that  day  for  the  Governor  to  appear  and  administer 
the  usual  oaths  ;  and  then  they  passed  a  resolve,  ingeniously 
raising  the  point,  that  the  Governor's  lawful  power  "  to  ad- 
journ, prorogue,  and  dissolve  all  Great  and  General  Courts 
doth  not  take  place  till  after  said  courts  have  first  inet  and 
convened^  They  therefore  claimed  that  the  Governor's 
proclamation  on  the  28th  of  September  was  a  nullity,  and 
resolved  that  they  would  act,  with  other  representatives  that 
might  be  chosen,  as  a  "  Provincial  Congress."  They  then 
adjourned  to  meet  at  Concord,  and  proceeded  to  exercise 
the  powers  of  government  without  leave  of  Gen.  Gage. 

Two  other  Provincial  Congresses  were  formed  in  1775 : 
one  was  convened  at  Cambridge,  Feb.  1,  and  held  two 
adjourned   sessions  at  Concord  and  Watertown,  and  was 


131 


dissolved  May  29  ;  the  next  met  at  Watertown,  May  31,  and 
was  dissolved  July  19.  To  both  of  these  assemblies,  Jona- 
than Baldwin  was  chosen  as  delegate  from  Templeton ; 
viz.,  at  town-meetings  on  the  4th  of  January  and  on  tlie 
16th  of  May. 

On  the  9th  of  June,  1775,  the  Continental  Congress,  sitting 
at  Philadelphia,  passed  a  resolution,  that  —  no  obedience 
being  due  "  to  the  act  of  Parliament  for  altering  the  charter 
of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  nor  to  a  Governor 
and  Lieut.-Governor  who  will  not  observe  the  directions 
of,  but  endeavor  to  subvert,  that  charter — the  Governor 
and  Lieut.-Governor  are  to  be  considered  as  absent,  and 
their  offices  vacant."  And,  in  the  same  resolve,  it  was  re- 
commended to  the  Provincial  Congress  of  Massachusetts  — 
"  as  the  inconveniences  arising  from  the  suspension  of  the 
powers  of  government  are  intolerable"  —  "to  write  letters 
to  the  inhabitants  of  the  several  places  which  are  entitled  to 
representation  in  assembly,  requesting  them  to  choose  such 
representatives  ;  and  that  the  assembly,  when  chosen,  should 
elect  counsellors,  —  which  assembly  and  council  should  ex- 
ercise the  powers  of  government  until  a  governor  of  his 
majesty's  appointment  will  consent  to  govern  the  Colony 
according  to  its  charter."  Thus  cautiously  did  the  leaders, 
before  independence  was  declared,  take  heed  not  to  show 
open  forms  of  rebellion  against  the  king. 

In  obedience  to  the  directions  of  the  Provincial  Congress, 
issued  agreeably  to  the  foregoing  recommendations,  the  Se- 
lectmen of  Templeton  called  a  town-meeting,  July  5,  1775, 
at  which  Jonathan  Baldwin  was  again  chosen  to  represent 
the  town  "  in  the  Great  and  General  Court  to  be  held  at 
Watertown."  And  thus  for  ever  passed  away  the  royal 
authority  over  us.  Since  Gov.  Gage's  time,  no  '^  governor 
of  his  majesty's  appointment  "  has  appeared  "  consenting  to 
govern  the  Colony"  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay.  The  people 
hardly  realized  the  magnitude  of  the  change :  the  con- 
stables were  posting  warrants,  just  as  they  had  always 
done,  for  town-meetings  called  together  by  the  customary 


132 


authority  of  the  selectmen ;  the  town-clerks  recorded  the 
doings,  with  no  sign  that  any  thing  unusual  was  taking 
place. 

But  the  warrant  for  the  town-meeting,  at  which,  on  the 
26th  of  September,  1774,  Jonathan  Baldwin  was  chosen 
the  first  representative  to  the  General  Court,  was  issued, 
requiring  the  constable,  "  in  his  majesty^ s  name^'^  "  to  warn 
the  freeholders  and  other  inhabitants  to  meet,"  &c.  The 
next  time  a  representative  from  Templeton  was  chosen  to  an 
assembly,  which  they  ventured  to  call  a  "  General  Court," 
the  warrant  no  longer  makes  any  mention  of  "  his  majesty," 
but  says  it  is  "  by  order  of  Congress." 

One  election,  therefore,  and  one  only,  has  ever  been  made 
in  Templeton  —  that  of  Sept.  26,  1774  — of  a  representa- 
tive to  a  legislature  called  together  by  authority  of  the 
King  of  Great  Britain  through  his  governor's  proclamation. 
From  that  day  to  this,  the  representatives  have  been  chosen 
to  the  peopWs  General  Court.  Their  names,  and  the  year 
of  their  election,  are  as  follows.  Before  1831,  the  repre- 
sentatives were  chosen  in  May ;  since,  in  November. 


1775.  Jonathan  Baldwin. 

1776.  Capt.  John  Richardson. 

1777.  Capt.  John  Richardson. 

1778.  Capt.  Ezekiel  Knowlton. 

1779.  Capt.  Ezekiel  Knowlton. 

1780.  (Voted  not  to  send.) 

1781.  Capt.  Joel  Fletcher. 

1782.  (Voted  not  to  send.) 

1783.  Capt.  Ezekiel  Knowhon. 

1784.  Capt.  Ezekiel  Knowlton. 

1785.  Capt.  John  Richardson. 

1786.  Jonathan  Baldwin. 

1787.  Capt.  Ezekiel  Knowlton. 

1788.  Capt.  Ezekiel  Knowlton. 

1789.  Capt.  Ezekiel  Knowlton. 

1790.  (Town  fined  £13  for  not 

sending.) 

1791.  Capt.  Joel  Fletcher. 

1792.  Capt.  Joel  Fletcher. 

1793.  Col.  Silas  Cutler. 


1794.  (Voted  not  to  send.) 

1795.  Capt.  Leonard  Stone. 

1796.  (Voted  not  to  send.) 

1797.  Silas  Hazelton. 

1798.  Silas  Cutler. 

1799.  (Voted  not  to  send.) 

1800.  Leonard  Stone. 

1801.  Leonard  Stone. 

1802.  (Voted  not  to  send.) 

1803.  Lovell  Walker. 

1804.  (Voted  not  to  send.) 

1805.  Lovell  Walker. 

1806.  Leonard  Stone. 

1807.  (Voted  not  to  send.) 

1808.  Lovell  Walker. 

1809.  Leonard  Stone. 

1810.  John  W.  Stiles. 

1811.  John  W.  Stiles. 

1812.  John  W.  Stiles. 

1813.  John  W.  Stiles. 


133 


1814. 

Moses  Wright. 

1835. 

Samuel  Dadman. 

1815. 

Moses  Wright. 

1836. 

Artemas  Lee. 

1816. 

Moses  Wright. 

1837. 

Moses  Leland. 

1817. 

(Voted  not  to  send.) 

1838. 

Moses  Leland. 

1818. 

(Voted  not  to  send.) 

Joseph  Davis. 

1819. 

Ephraim  Stone. 

1839. 

John  Boynton. 

1820. 

(Voted  not  to  send.) 

Moses  Leland. 

1821. 

(Voted  not  to  send.) 

1840. 

John  Boynton. 

1822. 

(Voted  not  to  send.) 

1841. 

(Voted  not  to  send.) 

1823. 

Benjamin  Read. 

1842. 

Charles  T.  Fisher. 

1824. 

(Voted  not  to  send.) 

1843. 

Charles  T.  Fisher. 

1825. 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 

1844. 

(No  choice.) 

1826. 

(Voted  not  to  send.) 

1845. 

G-ilman  Day. 

1827. 

Dr.  Josiah  Howe. 

1846. 

John  W.  Work. 

1828. 

Col.  Leonard  Stone. 

1847. 

Artemas  Lee. 

1829. 

Leonard  Stone. 

1848. 

(No  choice.) 

1830. 

Ephraim  Stone. 

1849. 

John  W.  Work. 

Samuel  Lee. 

1850. 

Dexter  Gilbert. 

1831.- 

^  Leonard  Stone. 

1851. 

John  W.  Work. 

1832. 

Art  em  as  Lee. 

1852. 

Edward  Hosmer. 

Samuel  Dadman. 

1853. 

Benjamin  Hawkes. 

1833. 

Samuel  Dadman. 

1854. 

Frederick  Parker. 

Artemas  Lee. 

1855. 

John  Sawyer  2d. 

1834. 

Samuel  Dadman. 
Artemas  Lee. 

1856. 

Henry  Smith. 

CONSTITUTIONAL  CONVENTIONS. 

The  General  Court,  in  17T8,  framed  a  Constitution  for 
Massachusetts ;  which  was  submitted  to  the  people,  and 
rejected  by  a  great  majority.  Li  Templeton,  the  vote  was 
twenty-two  for,  and  fifty-one  against.  The  members  of  the 
General  Court  chosen  in  1777  were  expected  to  act  upon 
the  subject  of  the  Constitution,  as  well  as  upon  the  ordinary 
subjects.  The  representative  from  Templeton  that  year 
was  Capt.  John  Richardson. 


*  After  the  amendment  of  the  State  Constitution,  ratified  in  1830,  the  repre- 
sentatives were  elected  in  November  of  each  vear  to  serve  for  the  year  following. 


134 


In  1779  and  1780,  a  convention  of  delegates,  chosen  for 
the  purpose,  framed  the  present  Constitution  of  the  State. 
It  was  submitted  to  the  people  in  March,  1780,  and  adopted 
by  more  than  two-thirds.  In  Templeton,  May  23,  1780,  a 
committee  reported  in  favor  of  some  amendments ;  with 
which  suggestions  the  frame  of  government  was  adopted  by 
a  vote  of  fifty-seven  to  one.  It  was  provided  in  the  Con- 
stitution, that,  in  fifteen  years,  there  might  be  a  convention 
for  revising  it.  In  1795,  the  question  was  submitted  to  the 
people,  and  they  voted  against  holding  a  convention.  In 
Templeton,  the  vote  was  "  seventy-six  for  the  Constitution 
to  stand  as  it  is  ;  none  against  it."  It  received  important 
amendments  proposed  by  a  convention  assembled  in  1820. 
In  1853,  a  convention  of  delegates  was  held,  and  a  new 
constitution  prepared  ;  but  it  was  not  accepted  by  the 
people. 

To  the  convention  of  1779-80  were  chosen  as  delegates 
from  Templeton  (Jonathan  Bakhvin  having  declined)  Capt. 
John  Richardson  and  Mr.  Joel  Grout.  To  the  convention 
of  1820,  the  delegate  was  Lovell  Walker,  Esq.  To  the 
convention  of  1853,  the  delegate  was  Gilman  Day,  Esq. 

When  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  was  framed, 
in  1787,  it  was  submitted  for  ratification,  not  to  the  direct 
votes  of  the  people,  but  to  conventions  of  delegates  in  each 
State.  The  Massachusetts  convention  assembled  in  January, 
1788.  It  consisted  of  three  hundred  and  sixty  members. 
The  majority  of  these  delegates,  when  they  first  assembled, 
were  opposed  to  adopting  it  as  a  constitution  for  the  United 
States ;  but  it  was  finally  ratified  in  the  convention,  on 
behalf  of  Massachusetts,  Feb.  6,  1788,  there  being  a  ma- 
jority of  nineteen  in  its  favor. 

The  delegate  from  Templeton  was  Capt.  Joel  Fletcher. 


135 


VOTES  FOR  GOVERNOR. 


The  following  is  a  list  of  the  votes  for  governor  in 
Templeton,  each  year,  from  the  adoption  of  the  State  Con- 
stitution in  1780  to  1856.  It  also  shows  the  compara- 
tive strength  of  the  various  political  parties  since  the  year 
1800;  the  names  of  the  "Federalist"  candidates,  and 
subsequently  those  of  the  "  Whig  "  party,  during  its  or- 
ganization, being  placed  first  each  year,  and  the  names  of 
the  "Democratic"  candidates  next.  Others  are  specially 
noted  when  they  occur.  The  name  of  the  person  elected 
by  the  people  each  year  is  printed  in  small  capitals  :  — 


1780. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin    . 

1781. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin  . 
James  Warren 

1782. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin  . 
Scatterinor   .     .     . 


1783. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin    . 

1784. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin  . 
Scattering   .     .     . 


1785. 
James  Bowdoin  * 
Benjamin  Lincoln 
Thomas  Gushing  . 


No.  of 
Votes. 

51 


43 
1 

7 


12 

29 
6 


37 
4 


28 

13 

4 


12 

41 

1 


1786. 
James  Bowdoin 
Benjamin  Lincohi 
Thomas  Gushing  . 

1787. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin  . 
Benjamin  Lincoln 

1788. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin    . 

1789. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin  . 
Benjamin  Lincoln 

1790. 
John  Hancock. 
James  Bowdoin    . 

1791. 
John  Hancock. 

Galeb  Strong  .  . 
Benjamin  Lincoln 
Scattering  .     .     . 


No.  of 
Votes. 


'12 


53 

9 

7 


68 
4 


59 
1 
4 


41 
2 


40 
6 
4 
3 


*  No  choice  by  the  people ;  James  Bowdoin  elected  by  the  Legislature. 


136 


1792.* 
Francis  Dana  .     .     . 
Samuel  Holton     .     . 
Scattering  .     .     .     . 

1793. 
John  Hancock.    . 
Samuel  Phillips    .     . 

1794. 

Samuel  Adams .  . 

William  Gushing .  . 

Scattering  .     .     .  . 

1795. 
Samuel  Adams .     . 
Moses  Gill .... 
Scattering  .     .     .     . 

1796.t 
Increase  Sumner .     . 
Edward  H.  Robbins 
Moses  Gill  .     .     .     . 

1797. 
Increase  Sumner . 
Scattering  .     .     .     . 

1798. 
Increase  Sumner. 
Scattering  .     .     .     . 

1799. 
Increase  Sumner | 

1800. 
Caleb  Strong  .     . 
Elbridge  Gerry    .     . 
Scattering  .... 

1801. 
Caleb  Strong  .     . 
Elbridge  Gerry    .     . 
Scattering  .... 


No.  of 

Votes. 

27 

27 

5 

48 
8 

1802. 
Caleb  Strong  .     .     . 
Elbridge  Gerry    .     .     . 

No.  of 

Votes. 

.       82 

.     28 

1803. 
Caleb  Strong  .     .     . 
Elbridge  Gerry    .     .     . 

.     83 
.     10 

36 
]5 

1804. 
Caleb  Strong  .     .     . 
James  Sullivan     .     .     .     . 

80 
40 

9 

53 

9 

1805. 
Caleb  Strong      .     .     . 
James  Sullivan  .... 
Scattering 

102 

67 

1 

1 

83 

1806. 
Caleb  Strong   .... 
James  Sullivan  .... 

95 

67 

3 
1 

1807. 
Caleb  Strong     .     .    . 
James  Sullivan  .... 

118 

72 

96 

2 

68 

1808. 
Christopher  Gore    .     .     . 
James  Sullivan  .     .     . 

105 
74 

1 
81 

1809. 
Christopher  Gore  .     . 
Levi  Lincoln      .... 
Scattering 

121 

71 

2 

3 

76 
4 

1810. 
Christopher  Gore    .     .     . 
Elbridge  Gerry      .     . 

115 
73 

51 

34 

1 

1811. 
Christopher  Gore    .     .     . 
Elbridge  Gerry      .     . 
Scattering 

105 

64 

1 

*  Although  Gov.  Hancock  was  re-elected  Governor  in  1792,  and  by  a  great 
maiority,  vet  he  had  not  a  single  vote  in  Templeton. 

"t  Although  Gov.  Samuel  Adams  was  re-elected  Governor  in  1796,  he  had  no 
votes  in  Templeton. 

X  No  votes  in  Templeton  for  any  one  else. 


137 


1812. 

No.  of 

Votes. 

1823. 

No.  of 
Vote«. 

Caleb  Strong     .     . 

.     131 

Harrison  Gray  Otis     . 

.     142 

Elbridge  Gerry .     .     . 

.       71 

William  Eustis  .     . 

.       91 

Scattering      .     .     . 

1 

1813. 

Caleb  Strong      .     . 

.     139 

1824. 

Joseph  B.  Varnum 

.       54 

Samuel  Lathrop 

.     160 

William  Eustis  . 

.     .       94 

1814. 

Caleb  Strong     .     . 

.     139 

1825. 

Samuel  Dexter  .     .     . 

.       66 

Solomon  Strong      .     , 

.       13 

Levi  Lincoln.     . 

.     .     131 

1815. 

Scattering 

.     .         1 

Caleb  Strong     .    . 

.     143 

Samuel  Dexter  .     .     . 

.       66 

1826. 

1816. 

Samuel  Hubbard     . 

.     .     122 

John  Brooks  .     .     . 

.     140 

Levi  Lincoln  .     . 

.     .       74 

Samuel  Dexter  .     .     . 

.       74 

James  Lloyd .     .     . 

.    .       15 

1817. 

1827. 

John  Brooks .     .    . 

.     130 

Levi  Lincoln  .     . 

.     .     127 

Henry  Dearborn     .     . 

.       62 

Scattering      .     .     . 

.     .       13 

1818. 

1828. 

John  Brooks  .    .    . 

.     126 

Levi  Lincoln.    . 

.     .     119 

B.  W.  Crowningshield 

.       54 

Scattering      .     .     . 

.     .        3 

1819. 
John  Brooks  .     .     . 
B.  W.  Crowningshield 

.     131 

.       68 

1829. 
Levi  Lincoln.     . 
Marcus  Morton  .     . 

.    .      89 
.    .      34 

1820. 
John  Brooks  .     .    . 

Samuel  C.  Allen     . 

.     .       26 

,     127 

Scattering      .     .     . 

.     .         1 

William  Eustis  .     .     . 

.       64 

1830. 

1821. 

Levi  Lincoln.     . 

.     .     161 

John  Brooks  .    .     . 

.     108 

Marcus  Morton  .     . 

.     .       10 

Willia,m  Eustis  .     .     . 

.       63 

Samuel  C.  Allen     . 

.    .      16 

1822. 

1831.* 

John  Brooks  .... 

.     128 

Levi  Lincoln.     . 

.     .     130 

William  Eustis  .     . 

.       65 

Scattering      .     .     . 

.     .         7 

*  Since  1830,  the  political  year  in  Massachusetts  has  commenced  in  January 
instead  of  May.  Consequently,  the  governors  voted  for  in  November  of  each  year, 
subsequent  to  1830,  did  not  assume  their  office  till  January  of  the  followmg  year. 

18 


138 


1832. 
Levi  Lincoln  .... 
Marcus  Morton  .... 
Samuel  Lathrop  (Antima- 


No.  of 
Votes. 

205 
13 


sonic) 25 


1833. 
John  Davis  *  .  .  .  . 
Marcus  Morton  .  .  .  . 
John  Quincy  Adams  (Anti- 
masonic)  .  .  .  . 
Scattering 


1834. 
John  Davis     .    .     .     . 
Marcus  Morton  .     .     .     . 
John  Bailey  (An timasonic) 

1835. 
Edward  Everett    .     . 
Marcus  Morton  .... 

1836. 
Edward  Everett    .     . 
Marcus  Morton  .... 

1837. 
Edward  Everett    .     . 
Marcus  Morton  .... 

1838. 
Edward  Everett    .     . 
Marcus  Morton  .... 

1839. 
Edward  Everett      .     .     . 
Marcus  Morton,     .    . 

1840. 
John  Davis      .     .     .     . 
Marcus  Morton  .... 


200 
19 

27 
1 


259 

14 

6 


202 

28 


201 
32 


210 
37 


210 

87 


150 

187 


224 
160 


1841. 
John  Davis     .    .    .    . 
Marcus  Morton  .     .     .     . 
Lucius    Boltwood  (Anti- 
slavery)      .     .     .     . 


No.  of 
Votes. 

194 
142 


8 


1842. 
John  Davis 204 

Marcus  Morton  t     .     .     .     142 
Samuel  E.  Sewell  (Anti- 
slavery)      ....         7 


1843. 
George  N.  Briggs  | 
Marcus  Morton  .     . 
Samuel  E.  Sewell  . 

1844. 
George  N.  Briggs 
George  Bancroft     . 
Samuel  E.  Sewell  . 


167 

142 

33 


172 

150 

38 


1845. 

George  N.  Briggs  §     .     .  149 

Isaac  Davis 126 

Samuel  E.  Sewell  ...  37 

Henry  Shaw 1 

1846. 

George  N.  Briggs  .     .  178 

Isaac  Davis 120 

Samuel  E.  Sewell  ...  46 

Francis  Baylies ....  1 


1847. 
George  N.  Briggs 
Caleb  Gushing    .     . 
Samuel  E.  Sewell  . 
Francis  Baylies .     . 
Scattering      .     .     . 


151 

111 

39 

3 

1 


*  John  Davis  was  elected  by  the  Legislature,  there  being  no  choice  by  the 
people. 

t  No  choice  by  the  people;  Marcus  Morton  elected  by  the  Legislature, 
j  No  choice  by  the  people ;  George  N.  Briggs  chosen  by  the  Legislature. 
\  No  choice  by  the  people ;  Gov.  Briggs  re-elected  by  the  Legislature. 


139 


1848. 

No.  of 
Votes. 

1853. 

No.  of 
Votfi. 

George  N.  Briggs  *     .     . 

140 

Emory  Washburn  1| 

.     137 

Caleb  Gushing    .... 

77 

Henry  W.  Bishop   .     . 

.       87 

Stephen  C.  Phillips  (Free 

Henry  Wilson    .     .     . 

.     141 

Soil) 

154 

Scattering 

1 

1854. 

Emory  Washlmrn  .     . 

.       62 

1849. 

Henry  W.  Bishop  .     . 

.       26 

George  N.  Briggs  *     .     . 

132 

Henry  Wilson    .     .     . 

.       14 

George  S.  Boutwell     .     . 

76 

Henry  J.  Gardner 

Stephen  C.  Phillips     .     . 

129 

(American)     .     . 

.     264 

1850. 

1855. 

George  N.  Briggs  .     .     . 

139 

Samuel  H.  Walley      . 

.      31 

George  S.  Boutwell  t .     • 

96 

Erasmus  D.  Beach .     . 

.     101 

Stephen  C.  Phillips     .     . 

133 

Henry  J.  Gardner 

.     252 

Julius  Rockwell  (Repub 

li- 

1851. 

can) 

.       91 

Robert  C.  Winthrop    .     . 

168 

Scattering      .... 

1 

George  S.  Boutwell  J  .     . 

85 

John  G.  Palfrey      .     .     . 

132 

1856. 

Luther  V.  Bell  .     .     . 

5 

1852. 

Erasmus  D.  Beach 

.     100 

JohnH.  Clifford  §   .     .     . 

138 

Henry  J.  Gardner  . 

.     223 

Henry  W.  Bishop  .     .     . 

91 

George  W.  Gordon 

.       31 

Horace  Mann     .... 

153 

Scattering      .... 

.       19 

SCHOOLS  AND   SCHOOLHOUSES. 

There  were  no  schools  here  before  the  incorporation  of 
the  town  in  1762 ;  at  least,  there  were  none  supported  by 
grants  of  public  money.  In  1763,  there  was  a  grant  for  a 
school.     In  1764,  the  town  was  divided  into  "  two  squad- 


*  No  choice  by  the  people;  Gov.  Briggs  re-elected  by  the  Legislature. 

t  No  choice  by  the  people;  Geoege  S.  Boutwell  chosen  by  the  Legislature. 

j  No  choice  by  the  people ;  Gov.  Boutwell  re-elected  by  the  Legislature. 

I  No  choice  by  the  people ;  John  H.  Clifford  elected  by  the  Legislature. 

II  No  choice  by  the  people ;  Emory  Washburn  elected  by  the  Legislature. 


140 


rons  "  for  schooling, —  one  on  the  westerly  side,  the  other 
on  the  easterly.  In  1773,  a  Committee  was  appointed  "  to 
squadron  out  the  west  part  of  the  town  for  schooling." 
They  made  five  school-divisions.  In  1777,  it  appears  that 
there  were  ten  school-divisions  in  the  whole  township, 
including  Phillipston.  In  1769,  it  was  voted  that  each 
school-district,  or  "  squadron,"  should  have  the  same  pro- 
portion of  money  they  paid  for  schooling.  In  1776,  the 
school-money  was  divided  according  to  the  number  of  chil- 
dren in  each  division  between  the  ages  of  four  and  sixteen. 
This  rule  continued  till  1779,  when  it  was  changed  so  as  to 
divide  according  to  the  number  between  four  and  twenty- 
one  years  of  age.  This  rule  continued  without  change  for 
almost  fifty  years.  In  1822,  and  afterwards  in  1827,  some 
further  allowance  of  money  was  made  in  favor  of  the 
smallest  districts.  In  1835,  the  method  was  adopted  of 
dividing  half  of  the  school-money  equally  to  each  school, 
and  the  other  half  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  children. 
In  1805,  the  town  voted  to  use  the  word  "  district"  in  all 
school-matters  instead  of  "  class,"  which  had  for  some  time 
previous  been  used. 

No  schoolhouses  were  built  at  public  charge  for  many 
years.  Schools  were  often  kept  in  private  houses.  Then, 
in  some  of  the  districts,  perhaps  in  all,  schoolhouses  were 
built  by  the  voluntary  contributions  of  the  neighborhood. 
The  first  appropriation  of  public  money  for  this  purpose 
seems  to  have  been  in  1787.  In  that  year,  the  town  voted 
to  take  all  the  schoolhouses  into  its  own  charge,  and  to 
purchase  of  those  who  owned  them  what  houses  and  frames 
were  then  existing  in  the  several  districts,  at  appraised 
values.  All  the  schoolhouses  in  town  amounted,  however, 
to  only  £51 :  namely.  No.  1  was  valued  at  <£15 ;  No.  2, 
with  all  the  materials  provided  for  repairs,  at  <£20 ;  No.  3, 
at  X4 ;  No.  4,  at  XI 2.  Nos.  5  and  6  had  no  houses  to  dis- 
pose of.  The  town  then  granted  £120  (equal  to  1400)  to 
build   and  repair   schoolhouses  throughout   the   town.     A 


141 


Committee  of  the  town  determined  their  location.  The 
same  year,  seven  school  "  classes,"  or  districts,  were  formed. 
In  1801,  the  rule  was  adopted  for  the  town  to  allow  each 
district,  which  might  build  a  schoolhouse,  a  hundred  dol- 
lars towards  the  cost,  and  the  town  to  own  and  repair  the 
houses  ;  but,  since  1814,  they  have  been  owned  and  repaired 
wholly  by  the  districts.  District  No.  8  was  formed,  in 
1831,  by  the  division  of  No.  6  ;  and  District  No.  9,  in  1834, 
by  the  division  of  No.  3.  The  present  District  No.  1,  at 
one  time,  formed  two  districts ;  namely,  from  1815  to  1822. 
The  present  districts  were  legally  defined  by  geographical 
lines  in  1846. 

During  the  first  sixty-five  years,  the  legal  superintendence 
of  the  schools  was  vested  in  the  Selectmen ;  but,  in  fact, 
the  oversight  of  them  was  devolved  mainly  upon  the  mini- 
ster. In  1811,  the  town,  at  the  request  of  Rev.  Mr.  Wel- 
lington, chose  a  Committee  to  assist  him  in  examining 
school-teachers.  John  W.  Stiles  and  Josiah  Howe  were 
chosen.  In  1815,  the  town  chose  a  Committee  of  one 
from  each  district  to  assist  in  examining  the  schools,  "  and 
to  recommend  certain  useful  classical  books."  Committees 
"  to  regulate  the  school-books  "  and  "  examine  the  schools  " 
were  chosen  afterward,  at  times,  till  the  law  for  choosing 
School  Committees  went  into  operation.  Still,  up  to  that 
time,  the  care  rested  almost  wholly  upon  the  minister. 


COMPARISON   OF   STATISTICS    OF  THE   SCHOOLS. 

The  following  tables  show  a  comparison  between  the 
schools  fifty  years  ago  and  at  the  present  time,  as  to  length 
and  cost  of  schools,  and  the  number  of  persons  between  the 
ages  of  four  and  twenty-one  in  each  district :  — 


U2 


SUMMER  SCHOOLS.  —  WAGES  OF  FEMALE  TEACHERS. 


Year  1805-6. 

1855 

-6. 

tM 

<t-i 

^ 

oa 

fl 

ta 

5 

!?< 

-? 

S 

J^ 

a 

1 

to 
-Co 

1 

a 

1 

1 

.9 

p 

0) 

NA3VIES  OF  TEACHERS. 

0"^ 

'8 

« 

i 

a>  ;3 

R 

?n^ 

5 

44 

■gcq 

.a 

^ 

!3 

°i 

■gCM 

JS 

& 

t? 

"S 

t 

m 

1"^ 

■s 

s5 

JS 

<w 

.13 

Q 
iz; 

a- 
1 

to 

1 

1 

r 

S 

1 

•g.s 

I. 

Miss  MiLLicENT  Kendall 

96 

12 

$1.17 

$0.92 

.«8.33 

171 

10 

$20.50 

II. 

Miss  Sally  Fletcher.     . 

86 

16 

1.17 

0.92 

8.33 

58 

13 

17.00 

III. 

Miss  Betsey  Sawyer  .     . 

67 

8 

— 

6.67 

42 

10 

15.00 

IV. 

Miss  Lydia  Kendall  .     . 

80 

12 

1.17 

0.92 

8.33 

43 

10 

18.66 

V. 

Miss  Silence  Richardson 

57 

10 

1.00 

0.67 

6.67 

45 

10 

14.00 

VI. 

Miss  Betsey  Sawyer  .     . 

53 

8 

1.17 

0.92 

8.33 

144 

18 

20.00 

VII. 

Miss  Patience  Sawyer   . 

55 

12 

1.15 

0.67 

7.28 

97 

16 

21.00 

VIII. 

(District  formed  in  1831)  . 

156 

11 

27.00 

IX. 

(District  formed  in  1834)  . 

— 

— 

— 

— 

121 

10 

20.00 

WINTER   SCHOOLS.  —  WAGES   OF  MALE  TEACHERS. 


Year 

1805-6 

. 

1855-6. 

OS 

1 

•% 

1 

1 

1 

1 

H 

i 

NAMES  OF  TEACHERS. 

.9 

1 

1 
1 

I 
t 
1 

I? 

11 

.9 

i 

^1 

^ 

tS 

^ 

H^ 

5 

^§ 

a 
1 

to 

H 

1 

bO 

.2S 

I. 

Noah  Kendall  2d    ...    . 

12 

$22.67 

(10) 

$41.00 

II. 

Francis  Fletcher 

12 

$4.00 

$1.25 

21.00 

11 

31.50 

III. 

Reuben  Jones .    . 

8 

3.25 

1.58 

19.33 

7 

29.00 

IV. 

Leonard  Stone    . 

8 

3.50 

1.33 

19.33 

14 

* 

V. 

Reuben  Jones  .     . 

6 

3.00 

1.00 

16.00 

8 

38.00 

VI. 

Leonard  Stone    . 

8 

3.50 

1.17 

18.67 

11 

40.00 

VII. 

Artemas  Baker  . 

9 

3.75 

1.25 

20.00 

12 

* 

VIII. 

(District  formed  in  1831 

— 

— 

— 

— 

9 

* 

IX. 

(District  formed  in  1834 

. 

— 

— 

— 

— 

12 

40.00 

*  Female  teacher. 


143 


From  the  foregoing  figures,  it  appears,  that,  fifty  years 
ago,  the  whole  number  of  persons  in  town,  between  four 
and  twenty-one  years  of  age,  was  494 ;  while,  in  1855,  the 
number  was  877.  There  were  then  seven  districts  and 
seven  schools ;  there  are  now  nine  districts  and  twelve 
separate  schools.  The  average  length  of  the  schools  in 
the  year  1805-6  was,  in  summer,  eleven  weeks ;  in  winter, 
nine  weeks.  In  1855-6,  the  average  length  of  the  summer 
schools  was  twelve  weeks  ;  of  the  winter  schools,  ten  and  a 
half  weeks.  The  average  wages,  including  board,  of  the 
teachers  of  the  summer  schools,  in  1805,  was  11.94  a 
week ;  in  1855,  it  was  14.84  a  week.  The  average  wages 
of  the  male  teachers  in  1805-6,  including  board,  was  very 
nearly  |20  a  month  ;  in  1855-6,  the  average  was  136.75  a 
month.  Reckoning  both  male  and  female  teachers,  there- 
fore, the  price  of  their  services  per  month  has  a  little  more 
than  doubled  within  the  fifty  years.  Considering  that  the 
number  of  separate  schools  in  the  districts  has  increased 
from  seven  to  twelve,  and  the  number  of  children  in  the 
town  in  a  still  greater  proportion  (viz.,  from  494  to  877)  ; 
and  considering,  also,  that,  fifty  years  ago,  there  was  hardly 
any  expense  to  the  town  for  fuel  (it  being  then  customary 
for  the  people  to  provide  it  gratuitously),  —  it  follows,  that 
it  now  requires  a  town-grant  of  nearly  |400  to  provide 
schools  for  the  town  of  the  same  length  that  $100  would 
have  provided  half  a  century  ago. 

It  is  now  impossible  to  obtain  any  thing  like  a  complete 
list  of  the  school-teachers  employed  in  this  town  in  the 
successive  years,  or  their  wages.  The  following  tables, 
however,  will  indicate,  in  some  measure,  the  gradual 
advance  in  wages  and  board :  — 

FEMALE    TEACHERS. 
Years. 

1770.     Mrs.  Job  Whitcomb  was  paid  for  teaching  four  weeks,  in- 
cluding her  board,  20s.  6d.,  —  equal  to  86  cents  a  week. 


144 

Years. 

1771.  Paid  for  a  teacher's  wages,  3s.  a  week ;  for  a  teacher's  board, 

2s.  8d.  a  week. 

1772.  A  teacher,  not  named  in  the  records,  was  paid,  for  teaching 

twelve  weeks,  2s.  8d.  per  week ;  her  board  cost  2s.  6d.  per 

week,  —  equal  to  86  cents  a  week,  board  and  all. 
1777.     Silas  Stone  was  paid  £1. 16s.  "for  his  wife's  keeping  school 

six  weeks,  and  boarding  her,"  —  equal  to  $1  a  week. 
1792.     Anna  Taylor  had  3s.  8d.  a  week  for  teaching. 

In  1770,  Dr.  Benjamin  Shattuck  was  paid,  "for  boarding  a 

school-dame,"  at  the  rate  of  2s.  8d.  (44  cents)  a  week ; 

and  I  find  no  instance,  for  twenty-five  years  after  this, 

of  more  than  50  cents  a  week  being  paid  for  a  female 

teacher's  board. 

MALE    TEACHERS. 

1770.  Dr.  Benjamin  Shattuck  was  paid,  for  teaching  school  two 

and  a  half  months,  £6.  Is.  8d.,  —  equal  to  $8.11  a  month. 
Probably  this  included  his  board.  The  common  price 
then  for  board  of  a  master  was  4s.  8d.  (78  cents)  a 
week.     Joel  Grout,  however,  had  but  4s.  a  week  in  1770. 

1771.  Paul  Whitney's  wages,  for  teaching  four  weeks,  was  30s., — 

equal  to  $1.25  a  week. 

1773.  Nathaniel  Dickinson,  "for  keeping  the  town-school"  five 

months,  received  £10. 

1774.  Josiah   Grout,  "  for  keeping  school  six  weeks,"  had  6s.  a 

week. 
1776.  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk  boarded  the  schoolmaster  at  5s.  6d. 
a  week.  I  find  no  instance,  before  1795,  of  more  than 
$1  a  week  being  paid  for  a  male  teacher's  board.  Of 
course,  this  remark,  as  well  as  that  concerning  female 
teachers'  board  not  exceeding  50  cents  a  week,  is  with  the 
exception  of  the  nominal  prices  adopted  between  1777 
and  1780,  while  the  continental  paper-currency  was 
depreciated. 

1788.  Aaron  Hall's  wages  were  £2.  5s.  a  month. 

1789.  Peter  Holt's  wages  were  £2.  14s.  a  month. 

1792.     Josiah  Howe  was  paid  $22  for  teaching  eleven  weeks  ;  and 
his  board  cost  $1  a  week  more. 


The  following  persons  were  paid  as  teachers  in  District 
No.  1,  between  the  years  1794  and  1826,  at  the  respective 
dates,  prices,  &c.,  named.  The  male  and  female  teachers 
in  the  same  line  were  employed  the  same  year ;  — 


145 


1 

MALE   TEACHERS. 

FEMALE  TEACHERS. 

NAIVIES  OF 
TEACHERS. 

1 

.3 
1 

o 

1 

1 

1 

f 

1 
1 

NAMES  OF 
TEACHERS. 

I 

.S 

j 

xn 
o 

1 

M 

r 

1 
2 

1794 

1800 
1803 
1805 
1810 
1815 
1820 
1825 

T.  G.  Fessenden.  .  .  . 

Artemas  Cook 

George  C.  Shattuck* 
Abraham  Wheeler  .  . 
Stephen  Emory   .... 
Dr.  David  Goodridge  . 
Paul  R.  Kendall  .  .  . 
Thomas  Sawyer  .... 

20 
6 

10 
6 
6 

12 

12 
9 

$2.50 
4.00 
8.50 
4.00 
4.50 

e.oot 

5.00 
4.00 

$1.00 
1.17 
1.00 
1.42 
1.33 

\m 

1.50 

Hannah  Cook  

Sally  Parker 

Abigail  Locke 

Millicent  Kendall  .  . 

Polly  Cutting 

Achsah  Richardson    . 

Lucy  Wright 

Lucy  B.  Howe 

8 
8 
8 
12 
12 
9 
12 
12 

$0.83   $0.83 
1.00      0.92 
1.58t     - 
1.17      0.92 
2.25t     - 
1.50      1.33 
2.67t     - 
2.50tl    - 

The  following  persons  were  paid  for  teaching  in  District 
No.  2,  between  the  years  1794  and  1827,  at  the  respective 
dates,  prices,  &c.,  named  :  — 


i 

< 

MALE   TEACHERS. 

FEMALE   TEACHERS. 

NAMES  OF 
TEACHERS. 

1 

.s 
1 

o 
A 

I 

1 

1 
II 

1 

1 

1 

NAMES   OF 
TEACHERS. 

1 

1 

12 

i 

1 

1 

■s 

1 

1794 
1800 
1805 
1811 
1815 
1820 
1825 
1827 

Samuel  Henry  .  . 
Moses  Wright  .  . 
Abner  Gay  .... 

8 
8 

10 
12 
10 
9 
10 
11 

$1.87i 
3.50t 
3.75 
4.00t 
4.50 
4.50 
3.75 
4.00 

$1.00 

L25 

L56 
1.56 
1.17 
1.10 

Abigail  Sparhawk 

Anna  Knowlton.  . 
Sally  Fletcher  .  . 
Beulah  Goodridge 
Charlotte  Newton 
'Rft'jpv  Davis        .   . 

8 
8 
16 
12 
10 
10 
16 

$0.67    $0.50 
1.00      0.67 
1.17      0.83 
1.17      0.83 
2.33t|    - 
1.92t     — 
1.50      0.75 

Oliver  Fletcher 

David  Spaulding 
Charles  Osgood  . 

Mary  Ann  Spooner 

1 

*  The  donor  of  the  Athenaeum  shares  hereinafter  mentioned.         t  Including  board. 


19 


146 


SCHOOL-LAND  AND   MINISTERIAL  LAND. 

The  original  grant  of  the  township  by  the  Legislature 
required  that  three  lots,  each  to  be  equal  in  value  to  the  lot 
of  one  proprietor,  should  be  set  apart,  and  devoted,  one  to 
the  first  minister  as  his  private  property,  which  was  of  the 
nature  of  "  a  settlement ; "  one,  the  income  or  interest  to 
be  applied  towards  supporting  the  minister  and  his  succes- 
sors ;  and  one,  the  income  or  interest  to  go  towards  sup- 
porting schools.  These  three  "  public  lots  "  were  accordingly 
set  apart ;  viz.,  No.  46,  No.  92,  and  No.  36.  The  first,  of 
course,  became  the  property  of  the  Rev.  Daniel  Pond.  No 
action  was  taken  as  to  selling  the  other  two  lots  till  1768, 
when  it  was  at  first  voted  to  lease  them  both  for  nine  hun- 
dred and  ninety-nine  years.  But  this  was  not  carried  into 
effect.  It  was  decided  to  sell  the  school-land  only  at  that 
time.  Many  years  afterwards, — viz.,  in  1805,  and  again 
in  1810,  —  when  the  avails  of  the  school-lands  had  dis- 
appeared, it  was  voted  to  petition  the  Legislature  for  leave 
to  sell  the  ministerial  lands,  and  apply  the  interest  for 
schooling.  But  such  a  course  was  unlawful ;  and  the  plan 
of  a  school-fund  was  abandoned. 

The  school-lot  was  sold  at  auction,  by  vote  of  the  town, 
May  15, 1769,  to  Deacon  Phinehas  Byam,  for  £55.  18s., — 
equal  to  1186.33.  In  1770,  it  was  also  voted  to  apply  the 
money  from  the  sale  of  "  pew-ground  "  in  the  meeting-house 
for  four  pews,  as  a  perpetual  fund  for  a  school.  In  the 
pinching  times  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  which  soon  came 
on,  it  probably  was  not  easy  to  keep  funds  on  hand  in  the 
treasury ;  and  the  town  perhaps  thought,  that,  by  granting 
school-taxes  each  year,  they  fulfilled  sufficiently  the  inten- 
tion of  the  Legislature.  In  1788,  a  Committee  recommended 
to  the  town  that  the  interest  on  any  notes  remaining  in  the 
Treasurer's  hands,  after  paying  the  town's  debts,  should 
be  applied  annually  for  the  support  of  schools.  But 
there  is  no  further  trace  of  any  school-fund  from  such 
sources. 


147 


In  1837,  however,  when  the  town  received  its  proportion  of 
the  surplus-revenue  that  had  been  distributed  by  the  United 
States,  amounting  to  13,337.74  for  this  town,  it  was  voted 
to  loan  that  fund,  and  apply  the  interest  for  the  support  of 
schools.  The  interest  was  thus  appropriated  about  three 
years ;  but  in  1840,  the  town  being  in  debt,  the  greater 
part  of  the  fund  was  taken  to  pay  the  liability  of  the  town 
in  a  suit  in  which  Peter  Sanderson  recovered  a  large  judg- 
ment against  the  town  for  damages  sustained  on  the  highway. 
Subsequently,  what  remained  of  the  Surplus-revenue  Fund 
was  used  in  paying  the  town's  debts. 

The  ministerial  lot  remained  unsold  for  forty-four  years 
after  the  sale  of  the  school-lot.  It  consisted  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres ;  the  proprietors  having  exchanged  some  of 
the  better  lands  belonging  to  it  in  the  early  divisions,  and 
allowed  a  larger  than  the  average  quantity  to  this  lot.  The 
land  was  finally  sold  at  auction,  in  eight  parcels,  July  6, 
1813  ;  and  the  committee  took  notes,  payable  to  the  trustees 
of  the  Ministerial  Fund,  for  11,312.97.  The  school-lot  was 
sold,  as  above  stated,  in  1769,  for  £55.  18s.  If  that  sum 
had  been  kept  at  compound  interest,  at  five  per  cent,  till 
the  time  of  the  sale  of  the  ministerial  land,  it  would  have 
amounted  to  11,594.45. 


RESOLVES  IN  BEHALF  OF  AMERICAN  FREEDOM. 

The  earliest  action  taken  by  the  town,  in  its  corporate 
capacity,  in  reference  to  the  infringements  on  American 
liberties  by  the  British  government,  was  at  a  meeting  held 
Dec.  31,  1772.  The  article  in  the  warrant  relating  to  this 
subject,  and  the  proceedings  upon  it,  are  here  copied  from 
the  Town  Records.  As  a  specimen  of  the  style  of  the 
times,  the  extract  conforms  to  the  original  spelling,  capital 
letters,  &c.     The  Article  was  in  the  following  words :  — 


148 


To  lay  before  the  Town  the  Proceedings  of  the  Town  of  Boston 
with  regard  to  our  Charter  Eights  and  libertyes,  and  to  see  if  the 
Town  will  Communicate  there  Sentiments  to  the  Town  of  Boston, 
"Whether  thay  have  Stated  our  Rights  and  the  Infringements  on 
them  in  a  Propper  light: — or  act  anything  thereon  as  thay  shall 
think  Proper. 

The  record  proceeds  as  follows :  — 

At  a  Very  full  Meeting  of  the  freeholders  and  other  Inhabitants 
of  the  Town  of  Templeton,  Legally  assembled  on  Thursday  the 
31  day  of  December  Anno:  Dom:  1772.  Proceeded  as  follows, 
Viz.  After  Reading  of  a  Pamphalet  Containing  a  Statement  of 
the  Rights  of  the  Colonists  and  of  this  Province  in  Perticular 
and  the  Infringements  on  those  Rights,  with  the  Letter  of  Coro- 
spondance  from  the  Town  of  Boston  —  The  Town  then  took  those 
Important  Matters  Into  their  Serious  Consideration  —  and  it  was 
put  to  Vote  Whether  the  Town  of  Boston  has  stated  our  Charter 
Rights  with  the  Infringements  on  them  in  a  Propper  Light  —  and 
it  Pass*^  in  the  Affermative  by  a  Very  grate  Majority,  not  one 
Dissenter  —  Then  Voted  to  Choose  a  committee  of  Nine  to  Examin 
More  Critically  Into  the  Proceedings  of  the  Town  of  Boston  and 
to  write  an  answer  to  their  Letter  of  Corospondance  and  the  Com- 
mittee to  Make  Report  at  the  adjournment  of  this  Meeting. 

At  tlie  adjourned  meeting  on  the  second  Monday  of 
January,  1773,  this  Committee  made  the  following  report, 
which  is  here  given,  together  with  a  draught  of  a  letter 
written  by  them  to  the  Committee  of  Correspondence  in 
Boston :  — 

Agreeable  to  the  trust  Reposed  in  us  we  have  Taken  Into  further 
Consideration  the  Late  Proceedings  of  the  Town  of  Boston  in  Behalf 
of  our  Dicing  libertyes  —  and  we  have  carefully  Perrused  the  grate 
and  good  Charter  of  the  Province  by  which  our  liberties  and  Pro- 
perties are  Confirmed  to  us  —  And  Therefore,  we  are  fully  of  the 
opinion  that  the  Town  of  Boston  has  Stated  our  Charter  Rights 
and  liberties,  &  the  Infringements  on  them  in  a  Very  Convincing 
light  to  all  Who  are  friends  to  our  Happy  and  Glorious  Constitu- 
tion !  And  if  these  be  the  Dreary  Circumstances  We  are  in,  In  the 
Name  of  Reason,  Where  is  our  Inglish  liberties  for  Which  our 
Ancestors  left  their  Goodly  Habitations  and  Pleasant  Gardens 
and  Came  to  this  then  Howhng  Wilderness  and  Suffer*  Hungar  and 
Nakedness  and  almost  every  other  Hardship?  Was  it  that  their 
Posterity  should  only  for  a  few  years  Injoy  those  liberties  and 
Previliges  which  Cost  them  So  Much  Blood,  and  then  to  be  mad 
no  more  of  than  Beasts  of  Burthen?    No  Surely  — but  to  Purchas 


149 


for  themselves  and  for  us,  their  Posterity  a  fi*ee  Constitution  and 
quiet  Habitations;  and  that  as  long  as  Time  Shall  Indure  —  There- 
fore, we,  the  sons  of  those  Heroes,  are  under  the  gratest  obliga- 
tions to  exert  ourselves  to  the  Utmost  to  Preserve  Inviolate  those 
Rights  which  God  and  Nature  and  the  Charter  of  this  Province 
Hath  given  us  —  Therefore,  be  it  Voted,  as  the  Opinion  of  this 
Town,  that  we  have  for  some  years  past  been  loaded  with  Burthens 
to  grate  for  the  Shoulders  of  any  Inglish-man  to  Bare :  —  and  now, 
if,  in  addition  to  our  other  grevances,  there  Must  be  this,  viz.  that 
the  Judges  of  the  Superior  Court  be  made  Independent  of  the 
grants  of  this  Province  for  their  Support,  it  must  have  a  direct 
Tendency  to  overthro  and  Distroy  our  happy  Civil  Government.  — 
Voted  secondly,  that  we  will  Cultivate  a  Close  and  Strict  Union 
with  Boston,  and  other  Towns  in  the  Province,  and  will  heartily 
join  with  them  in  Every  Lawful  Step  and  Prudent  way  for  the 
Redress  of  their  and  our  Greivances.  —  Voted  thirdly,  that  as  the 
general  Court  is  once  more  Permitted  to  Convene  (and  at  their 
ancient  Seat  too)  we,  his  Majesty's  Loyal  Subjects,  in  Town  Meet- 
ing legally  assembled.  Doe  hereby  with  our  United  Voice  Humbly 
Intreat  the  Hon^®  House  of  Representatives  to  Use  their  gratest  In- 
fluence for  a  full  Redress  of  all  our  greivances. 

To  the  Gentleman  of  the  Committee  for  Corospondance  and 
others  in  the  Town  of  Boston :  —  We,  the  committee  apointed  by 
the  Town  at  their  Last  Meeting  to  write  an  answer  to  your  obligeing 
Letter  of  the  20th  of  November  last.  Do,  at  this  Time,  with  grate 
Pleasure,  both  for  ourselves  and  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Town, 
Return  you  our  Sincear  and  Hearty  Thanks  for  the  grate  care 
and  pj»ns  you  have  from  time  to  time  bin  at  for  the  Supporting  and 
Defending  of  our  Invaluable  Rights  and  liberties  —  But  Espetially 
at  this  time  when  their  Seems  But  a  step  between  us  and  Ruin. 
It  is  true  that,  we,  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Town  have  ben  Inured 
to  Hardships  But  thank  God  we  dont  look  upon  ourselves  as  yet 
creatures  at  Human  Mercy  —  Therefore,  you  May  Depend  upon  us 
that  we  will  Concur  with  you,  and  the  other  Towns  in  the  Province, 
in  takeing  Every  Legal  Step  in  order  to  obtain  a  full  Redress  of  all 
greivances.  We  are  very  Sorry  that  your  so  Reasonable  Request 
to  the  Governor  was  answered  in  Such  a  Manner  —  tis  no  doubt 
the  effect  of  Independancy.  Finally,  we  hope  you  will  Continue  to 
have  an  Eagle  Eye  upon  our  Sacred  rights  and  liberties  and  Espye 
danger  tho  Ever  so  Remote  —  and  our  hope  and  Sincere  Desires 
are  that  your  Names  Will  be  had  in  Everlasting  Remembrance. 

from  your  Most  Humble  and  oblig**  Servants  — 


John  Richardson 
Jonathan  Baldwin 
Thomas  White 
Henry  Sawtell 
Jonas  Wilder 


Ebenezer  Wright 
Silas  Jones 
Abel  Hunt 
Joshua  Wright 


150 


The  following  resolves  respecting  goods  imported  from 
Great  Britain  were  reported  to  the  town,  at  a  meeting  held 
May  17,  1774,  by  a  Committee  chosen  for  the  purpose, 
consisting  of  Abel  Hunt,  John  Richardson,  Jacob  Grout, 
Thomas  White,  and  Moses  Gray.  They  were  adopted  by 
vote  of  the  town :  — 

Voted,  first,  that  we  will  not,  by  ourselves  or  by  any  under  us, 
directly  or  indirectly,  purchase  any  goods,  of  any  person  whatever, 
that  is  or  shall  be  subject  to  any  duty  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a 
revenue  in  America.  Voted,  second,  that  we  will  not  use  any 
foreign  tea,  nor  countenance  the  use  of  it  in  our  families,  unless  in 
case  of  sickness,  and  not  then  without  a  certificate  from  under  the 
hand  of  one  or  more  physicians  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  in 
order  for  the  recovery  of  their  patient.  And  whoever  in  this  town 
shall  presume  to  act  contrary  to  the  aforementioned  votes  shall  be 
deemed  an  enemy  to  his  country,  and  treated  as  such. 


BEVOLUTIONARY  WAR. 

This  town  acted  with  great  spirit  and  self-sacrifice  in 
behalf  of  the  American  cause  during  the  war.  A  Commit- 
tee of  correspondence,  inspection,  and  safety,  was  annually 
chosen  as  long  as  the  contest  lasted.  One  or  more  com- 
panies of  minute-men  were  formed.  The  following  vote 
was  passed  Oct.  4, 1774 :  — 

Voted  that  Samuel  Osgood,  Thomas  White,  Capt.  Aaron  Jones, 
Job  Whitcomb,  and  William  Sprague,  provide  provisions  for  our 
soldiers,  and  carry  the  same  to  them,  in  case  they  should  be  called 
for  to  go  out  to  battle. 

March  15,  1775,  the  town  chose  a  Committee  to  take 
care  of  the  minute-men's  farms  and  families,  if  they  should 
be  called  into  battle.  The  Selectmen  were  instructed  to 
procure  fire-arms  and  ammunition  at  the  charge  of  the 
town.  William  Sprague  and  Abel  Hunt  were  paid  for  two 
days'  work  at  "  running  bullets  for  the  use  of  the  town." 


151 


The  next  town-meeting  warrant,  after  the  battle  of  Lexing- 
ton, was  issued,  not  "  in  his  majesty's  name,"  as  all  previous 
warrants  had  been,  but  simply  "  by  order  of  the  Selectmen.'* 
In  1777,  the  warrants  were  issued  "  in  the  name  of  the 
government  and  people  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts  Bay." 
The  town,  many  times  during  the  war,  provided  beef  and 
other  provisions,  and  clothing,  for  the  army ;  paid  bounties 
for  soldiers  to  enlist ;  and  appointed  committees  to  see  to 
their  families  while  absent.  The  Town  Records  do  not  show 
how  many  soldiers  entered  the  army  from  this  place.  Capt. 
Joel  Fletcher  and  Capt.  Jonathan  Holman  each  commanded 
a  company,  in  the  camp  before  Boston,  in  the  autumn  of 
1775.  In  the  year  1778,  there  were  fifteen  men  from 
Temple  ton  serving  in  the  American  army. 


PRICES  IN  THE  CONTINENTAL  PAPER-MONEY. 

During  a  portion  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  conti- 
nental paper-money  being  a  lawful  tender,  but  at  the  same 
time  enormously  depreciated,  of  course  the  prices  of  labor 
and  of  all  merchandise  were  greatly  enhanced.  All  trade 
was  brought  thereby  into  a  confused  state.  The  method  was 
adopted  of  fixing  a  schedule  of  prices,  sometimes  by  the 
several  towns,  and  sometimes  by  conventions  in  the  counties  * 
or  for  the  State,  with  a  general  understanding  that  the 
people  should  conform  to  those  prices. 

In  October,  1779,  a  Convention  was  held  at  Concord  for 
the  purpose  of  "  stating  prices."  This  town  chose  Mr. 
Thomas  White  as  its  delegate  to  that  Convention,  and  gave 
him  the  instructions  which  follow,  as  containing  their  views 
in  regard  to  some  particular  articles  which  were  deemed  out 
of  proportion  in  the  then  existing  scale  of  prices.  The  in- 
structions were  reported,  at  a  town-meeting  held  Sept.  30, 
1779,  by  a  Committee  chosen  by  the  town  for  that  purpose, 
and  were  adopted  by  vote  :  — 


152 


To  Mr.  Thomas  White. 

Sir,  —  "Whereas  this  town  have  made  choice  of  you  to  represent 
this  town  in  the  State  Convention  to  be  holden  at  Concord  on  the 
first  Wednesday  of  October  next,  nowise  doubting  but  that  you  will 
use  your  utmost  endeavors  that  all  the  affairs  that  shall  come  before 
you  as  a  member  of  that  Convention  may  be  done  with  due  regard 
to  the  interest  of  the  community  of  which  this  town  is  a  part,  yet, 
sir,  suffer  us  to  mention  some  things  to  you  that  may  help  you  easily 
to  recollect  what  the  sentiments  of  your  constituents  are  on  the 
affairs  you  are  agoing  upon. 

As  first,  it  is  the  mind  of  this  town  that  there  are  too  great  dis- 
proportions in  the  price  of  tilings  as  now  stated  by  the  last  Conven- 
tion ;  namely,  salt  and  rum,  we  conceive,  are  too  high  in  proportion 
to  mutton,  veal,  and  lamb,  which  this  town  are  of  opinion  are  too 
low:  for,  although  four  shillings  a  pound  seems  to  make  a  sound, 
what  is  it  ?  Why,  it  is  cheaper  than  it  was  even  when  our  cur- 
rency was  looked  upon  equal  to  silver.  Therefore,  sir,  'tis  the  mind 
of  this  town  that  the  price  of  mutton  and  veal  ought  to  be  raised, 
or  the  price  of  salt  and  rum  brought  lower:  not  that  this  town 
are  desirous  to  rule  the  price  of  things,  but  that  there  might  be 
an  equality  in  the  price  of  all.  You  will  therefore  use  your  influ- 
ence that  there  may  be  an  equality  in  the  price  of  every  article  that 
shall  come  under  the  consideration  of  the  Convention,  and  that  a 
price  be  set  so  as  to  abide  without  any  sudden  alteration,  and  by  no 
means  to  give  your  consent  to  a  monthly  alteration ;  for,  if  that 
should  be  effected,  it  will  have  a  tendency  to  overthrow  the  whole. 

You  will  keep  your  eye  upon  those  who  are  enemies  to  the  cause 
you  are  engaged  in  or  agoing  upon,  —  of  which  sort  those  herds  of 
forestallers  and  monopolizers  are  who  infest  the  land,  —  and  repre- 
sent them  to  the  Convention  in  the  light  they  properly  deserve, 
and  endeavor  that  some  measure  may  be  come  into  to  put  a  stop  to 
their  infection,  that  it  spread  no  farther ;  and  that  you  will  endeavor 
that  some  salutary  measures  may  be  come  into  to  create  a  better 
understanding  between  the  mercantile  and  the  landed  interests, 
which  seem  at  present  too  wide  apart :  for  they  are  both  embarked 
in  one  cause ;  and  whilst  one  is  pulling  one  way,  and  the  other  the 
contrary,  the  public  cause  might  suffer. 

The  Convention,  it  seems,  left  it  optional  with  the  several 
towns  themselves  to  "  state  the  prices  "  of  various  articles 
and  of  labor.  This  was  immediately  done  by  this  town. 
The  doings,  with  the  list  of  prices,  are  copied  below.  It 
will  serve  not  only  to  show  the  great  depreciation  of  the 
paper-money,  but  to  indicate  the  comparative  estimate  of 
articles  and  of  labor  in  Templeton  in  1779. 

At  a  town-meeting,  Oct.  19,  1779,  it  was  — 


153 


Voted  to  choose  a  Committee  of  seven  men  to  state  the  prices  of 
such  articles  as  they  think  necessary,  and  make  re))()rt  to  the  town 
at  the  adjournment  of  this  meeting.  Cliose  Capt.  Kichardson,  Dea- 
con Phinehas  Byam,  Jonathan  Stratton,  Capt.  Jonathan  Ilolinnn, 
Lieut.  Leonard  Stone,  Thaddeus  Brown,  and  INIr.  Jose|)h  While, 
for  that  purpose.  Voted  to  adjourn  the  meeting  to  Frichiy,  the  tiflh 
day  of  November  next,  at  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  then  to  meet 
again  at  this  place. 

Friday,  the  fifth  day  of  November,  they  met  according  to 
adjournment,  and  the  Committee  chosen  to  state  the  prices 
of  such  articles  as  should  appear  to  them  necessary  made 
a  report  of  prices  which  they  had  stated,  as  follows :  — 

Laborers  in  husbandry,  £2.  14s.  per  day  in  the  best  of  the  season ; 

and,  at  all  other  times  in  the  year,  in  the  usual  proportion. 
Blacksmith's  shoeing  a  horse  all  round,  steeling  toe  and  heel,  £4. 

Plain  shoeing,  &c.,  in  the  usual  proportion. 
A  narrow-axe,  of  the  best  quality,  £6 ;  and  all  other  edge-tools  and 

smithing  in  the  usual  proportion. 
Men's  best  shoes,  £6  per  pair. 
Weaving  yard-wide  tow-cloth,  5s.  per  yard. 
Women's  labor,  £2  per  week. 
Spinning  fourteen  knots  of  linen  yarn,  5s. 
Women's  tailoring,  12s.  per  day.     Tailoring  taken  in,  in  the  usual 

proportion. 
Horse-keeping,  16s.  per  night  by  hay,  and  8s.  by  grass. 
Keeping  a  yoke  of  oxen,  £1.  Is.  per  night  by  hay,  and  10s.  by 

grass. 
A  good,  common  dinner,  14s. ;  and  all  other  victuaUing  in  the  usual 

proportion. 
Lodging,  4s.  per  night. 

New-England  flip  or  toddy,  15s.  per  mug  or  bowL 
Cider,  4s.  per  mug. 
Oats,  per  mess,  6s. 
Shirts,  £4.  16s.  apiece,  made  of  good  tow-cloth  seven-eighths  of  a 

yard  wide,  three  yards  and  a  half  in  each  shirt. 
Good  yarn-stockings,  £3.  12s.  per  pair. 
Pasturing  a  yoke  of  oxen,  £2.  2s.  per  week;  a  cow,  14s. 
Keeping  a  yoke  of  oxen  by  hay,  £3  per  week ;  a  cow,  £1. 
Sawing  pine-boards,  £10  per  thousand  feet;  and  all  other  sawing 

in  the  usual  proportion. 
Carpenter's  work,  in  the  best  of  the  season,  £3  per  day. 
Mason's  work,  £3.  6s.  per  day. 
Bricks,  £15  per  thousand. 
Rye,  £4.  16s.  per  bushel ;  Indian  corn,  £3.  12s.  per  bushel;  wheat, 

£8  per  bushel ;  Oats,  £2  per  bushel. 

20 


154 


This  report  of  prices  the  town  voted  to  adopt  as  the 
standard  by  which  they  would  buy  and  sell.  Women's  work 
was  valued  much  less,  in  proportion  to  that  of  men,  than  it 
is  now. 

All  the  prices  stated  probably  were  just  twenty  times  as 
much  as  those  previously  current  when  payable  in  silver. 
About  a  year  afterwards,  the  depreciation  of  the  paper- 
money  had  increased  so  much,  that  the  town  paid  Joseph 
White,  Nov.  16,  1780,  six  hundred  pounds  in  continental 
bills  for  twenty  Spanish  milled-dollars,  being  at  the  rate 
of  a  hundred  dollars  in  paper  for  one  in  silver. 


SECOND  PRECINCT  IN  TEMPLETON,  AND  INCORPORATION 
OF   GERRY,   NOW  PHILLIPSTON. 

In  the  original  township  of  Templeton,  the  meeting- 
house was  considerably  east  of  the  centre  of  the  territory. 
It  was,  consequently,  quite  inconvenient  for  those  on  the 
westerly  side.  In  the  winter  season,  especially,  they  felt 
very  sensibly  their  distance  from  the  house  of  worship. 
The  town  sometimes  voted  that  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk  might 
preach  a  few  Sundays,  in  the  course  of  the  winter  season, 
at  the  west  part  of  the  town,  closing  the  meeting-house  for 
the  purpose.  But  they  were  not  always  willing  to  grant 
this  favor.  Much  discussion  and  controversy  ensued.  The 
people  of  the  westerly  part  of  the  town,  weary  of  the  in- 
convenience, petitioned  the  General  Court,  in  1773,  to  be 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  town  as  to  parochial  affairs, 
and  be  made  a  distinct  precinct  or  parish.  The  General 
Court,  in  1774,  granted  the  petition.  As  to  most  of  the  ordi- 
nary town-business,  they  were  still  to  act  togetlier.  It  was  a 
long  time  before  the  new  parish  felt  able  to  sustain  religious 
institutions.  A  church  was  first  formed  in  that  territory  in 
1785  ;  and  the  first  minister,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Tuckei*,  was 
ordained  there  Nov.  5,  1788.  In  1786,  Oct.  20,  the  Second 
Precinct,  with  a  territory  taken  from  the  south-easterly  part 


155 


of  Athol,  was  incorporated  as  a  town,  by  the  name  of  Gerry. 
The  inhabitants,  afterwards  finding  themselves  decidedly  o})- 
posed  in  political  sentiment  to  Gov.  Gerry,  obtained  an  act 
to  change  the  name  to  Phillipston. 

In  1785,  the  town  of  Gardner  was  incorporated,  and  a 
tract  included  in  it  of  some  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  acres 
set  off  from  Templeton. 

The  following  is  the  petition  presented  to  the  General 
Court,  in  1773,  in  favor  of  setting  off  the  Second  Pre- 
cinct :  — 

To  his  Excellency  Thomas  Hutchinson,  Esq.,  Captain-General  and 
Commander-in-chief  in  and  over  the  Province  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Bay,  to  the  Honorable  his  Majesty's  Council  and  House  of 
Representatives  in  General  Court  assembled  at  Boston,  January, 
1773:  — 

The  petition  of  sundry  inhabitants,  living  in  the  westerly  part  of 
the  town  of  Templeton  and  the  south-easterly  part  of  the  town 
of  Athol,  humbly  shows  :  That  the  town  of  Templeton  is  so  situated, 
that  one  house  for  public  worship  will  in  no  wise  serve  the 
whole ;  that  the  proprietors  of  said  Templeton  have  built  one 
meeting-house,  and  placed  it  at  a  very  considerable  distance  from 
the  Centre,  and  where  it  well  accommodates  the  easterly  part  of  said 
Templeton,  but  will  in  no  wise  accommodate  the  inhabitants  in  the 
west  part ;  that  the  west  part  of  said  Templeton  is  now  considerably 
filled  with  inhabitants,  and  consists  of  the  first  settlers  in  said  Tem- 
pleton, who  do  and  have  labored  under  great  difficulties  and  incon- 
veniences for  many  years  past  by  reason  of  living  at  such  a  great 
distance  from  public  worship,  a  great  part  of  whom  live  five  miles 
and  upwards,  and  being  well  situated  with  a  part  of  the  south- 
easterly part  of  the  town  of  Athol  to  make  a  precinct.  We  there- 
fore earnestly  pray  your  excellency  and  honors  would  take  our 
distressed  and  difficult  circumstances  into  your  wise  consideration, 
and  grant  us  relief  (according  to  your  usual  practices  in  such  cases) 
by  dividing  the  town  of  Templeton  into  two  precincts  by  the  fol- 
lowing line ;  viz. :  Beginning  in  the  northerly  line  of  Hubbardston, 
on  Burnshirt  River;  thence  running  up  the  river  till  it  comes 
to  a  maple-tree,  the  corner  of  Second-division  Lot  No.  47 ;  thence 
running  north  thirty  degrees  west  till  it  comes  to  New  Brook,  so 
called ;  thence  down  said  brook  to  Royalston  Line.  And  also  that 
the  south-east  part  of  the  town  of  Athol  be  annexed  to  Temjjleton, 
to  accommodate  said  west  part  of  Templeton,  by  the  following  line ; 
viz. :  To  run  north-easterly  from  the  most  westerly  corner  of  Tem- 
pleton to  the  west  corner  of  Isaac  Ball's  land  that  he  now  dwells 
on  ;  from  thence  north-easterly  to  Miller's  River,  where  Thousand- 
acre  Brook  empties  into  said  river ;  thence  up  said  river  to  Royals- 


ibS 


ton  Line.     Or  grant  relief  to  your  petitioners  in  such  other  way  and 
manner  as  your  excellency  and  honors  shall  think  most  proper. 


Samuel  Taylor. 
Joseph  White. 


Reuben  Cummings. 
Charles  Baker. 


[And  forty-nine  others.] 
January  the  7th,  1773. 


The  following  action  on  the  petition  was  taken  by  the 

General  Court  in  1774 :  — 

In  Council,  Feb.  15, 1774 :  Read,  and  ordered  that  the  tract  of  land 
hereafter  described,  lying  partly  in  Templeton  and  partly  in  Athol, 
together  with  the  inhabitants  thereon  dwelling,  be,  and  hereby  are, 
erected  into  a  precinct ;  and  the  said  inhabitants  are  hereby  invested 
with  all  the  powers  and  privileges  by  law  belonging  to  inhabitants 
of  precincts  in  this  province :  viz.,  beginning  at  Hubbardston  Line 
where  Burnshirt  Stream  runs  out  of  Templeton ;  thence  running 
up  said  stream  to  a  maple-tree,  being  the  southerly  corner  of  the 
Second-division  Lot  No.  47 ;  thence  running  north  thirty  degrees 
west  to  New  Brook,  so  called ;  thence  down  the  brook  to  Royalston 
Line ;  thence  west  to  Athol  Line,  being  the  north-west  corner  of 
Templeton,  then  on  Athol  Line  to  Miller's  River ;  thence  down  said 
river  to  a  brook  called  Thousand-acre  Meadow  Brook  ;  thence 
south-easterly  to  the  westerly  corner  of  the  Hundred-acre  Lot 
No.  22,  then  straight  to  the  most  westerly  corner  of  Templeton ; 
thence  by  Templeton  Line  to  where  it  began.  And  further  ordered, 
that  Abner  Sawyer,  Abraham  Sawyer,  Joel  Grout,  Samuel  Lamb, 

Joshua    Whitcomb,    John    Brigham,  Alexander,  jun.,   

Davis,  Thomas  ,  Jonathan  Willington,  Elias   Sawyer,  Calvin 

Reed,  Ebenezer  Knight,  Isaac  Ball,  jun.,  Israel  Sprague,  Joseph 
Morse,  Benjamin  Parsons,  John  Colman,  Robert  Young,  jun., 
and  Zaccheus  Rich,  with  their  estates,  together  with  the  farm  of 
Capt.  Aaron  Jones  of  a  hundred  and  twenty-four  acres  adjoining 
the  easterly  line,  although  included  within  the  precinct  hereby 
erected,  be,  and  hereby  are,  exempted  from  doing  duty  there,  but 
shall  be  subject  to  do  duty  in  the  precinct  in  which  they  were 
respectively  included  before  the  passing  of  their  order,  unless  they, 
or  either  of  them,  within  nine  months  from  the  date  hereof,  return 
their  names  into  the  secretary's  othce,  signifying  their  desire  to 
belong  to  the  said  precinct ;  in  which  case  they  shall  be  considered 
as  belonging  to  the  said  precinct,  and  shall  do  duty  and  receive 
privileges  accordingly. 

Sent  down  for  concurrence.  Joxa.  Cotton,  Zfep.  Sec. 

In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Feb.  16,  1774:  Read  and  con- 
curred. J.  CusHiNG,  Speaker. 

Consented  to.  Thomas  Hutchinson 

[Govei'nor]. 


157 


No  effectual  movements  were  made  for  several  years  by 
the  Westerly  or  Phillipston  Precinct  for  sustaining  religious 
institutions.  In  1784,  fourteen  of  tlic  inhabitants,  becom- 
ing tired  of  their  situation,  petitioned  to  be  united  again  to 
the  First  Precinct.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  petition, 
and  of  the  doings  of  the  town  thereon :  — 

To  the  Inhabitants  of  the  First  Precinct  in  Templeton :  — 

The  petition  of  us,  the  subscribers,  inhabitants  of  the  West 
Parish  in  said  Templeton,  humbly  showeth  :  That  your  petitioners 
having  been  for  a  number  of  years  set  off  with  said  West  Parish, 
but  having  had  many  unforeseen  difficulties  to  encounter  with,  so 
that  it  has  never  been  in  our  power  to  build  a  meeting-house,  nor  to 
furnish  ourselves  with  but  very  little  preaching ;  nor  can  we,  by 
looking  forward,  see  any  better  prospect,  —  your  petitioners  there- 
fore pray  that  we  may  be  re-united  to  your  precinct  again,  upon 
these  express  conditions :  viz.,  that  we  never  move  to  have  your 
meeting-house  moved  or  rebuilt  on  any  other  spot  than  where  it 
now  stands ;  but  in  case  our  whole  parish,  or  so  many  of  them  as 
live  in  Templeton,  should  be  re-united  to  your  precinct,  then,  in  that 
case,  we  pray  the  town  to  grant  them  four  days'  preaching  in  each 
year,  either  by  money  for  that  purpose,  or  any  other  way  that  the 
precinct  think  best. 

As  your  petitioners,  in  duty  bound,  shall  ever  pray,  &c. 


Thos.  Johnson. 
David  Knight. 
John  Hager,  jun. 
Hannah  Sawyer. 
Elisua  Parker. 
Samuel  Lamb. 
Joshua  Wilder. 

Templeton,  Jan.  6,  1784. 


Thos.  White. 
JoNA.  Stratton. 
Simeon  Hayward. 
William  Dike. 
Benjamin  Gallop. 
Ruth  White. 
Edmund  Brigham. 


The  First  Precinct  voted  to  receive  the  petitioners  agree- 
ably to  their  petition.     The  record  also  says, — 

Voted  to  receive  the  whole  of  said  parish  that  belong  to  Tem- 
pleton, if  they  are  disposed  to  be  re-united  to  us  again,  upon  the 
conditions  of  the  petition  of  Thomas  White  and  others.  Voted  that 
the  Committee  serve  the  whole  of  said  parish  with  a  copy  of  these 
votes,  intimating  our  desire  that  they  may  be  re-united  to  us  again. 


158 


PAUPERS. 


This  town  has  never  been  subjected  to  so  great  expense 
for  the  support  of  paupers  as  many  other  towns.  In  early 
tnnes,  a  "  settlement "  —  rendermg  the  town  liable  for  the 
individual's  support  in  case  he  became  a  pauper  —  was  ac- 
quired, in  one  mode,  by  a  person's  being  received  as  an 
"  inhabitant"  of  a  town,  in  a  technical  sense.  Hence  arose 
the  usage,  in  those  days,  of  the  Selectmen  issuing  a  precept 
to  the  constable  to  "  warn  out "  all  new-comers.  Not  that 
they  were  actually  expected  or  desired  to  leave  the  town ; 
but  the  process  prevented  the  town  where  the  persons 
had  their  previous  "  settlement"  from  escaping  its  liability 
for  their  future  support.  At  first,  it  was  the  practice 
here  for  the  Selectmen  thus  to  "warn  out"  all,  without 
exception,  who  came  to  reside  in  the  town  ;  and  wiioever 
admitted  any  from  another  town  into  his  family  or  into 
his  tenement  was  required  to  give  the  Selectmen  written 
notice,  stating  tlieir  names,  former  place  of  abode,  and  their 
circumstances  in  respect  to  property.  In  May,  1763,  there 
was  an  article  in  the  warrant  "  to  see  whether  the  town  will 
still  insist  on  the  Selectmen's  warning  out  all  the  persons 
that  come  into  town."  It  "  passed  in  the  negative."  Many 
persons  were  warned  out  during  the  next  few  years.  The 
"  warning-out  laws  "  were  repealed  April  10,  1767.  It  is 
said,  that,  from  that  date  till  June  23,  1789,  no  pauper- 
settlement  could  be  gained  in  a  town  merely  by  residence 
therein.  The  following  specimens  of  the  notices  concern- 
ing new-comers  arriving,  and  of  notices  to  warn  them  out, 
are  copied  from  the  early  records.  Initials  are  substituted, 
in  most  cases,  for  the  full  names  which  appear  on  the 
records :  — 

To  the  Selectmen  of  Templeton. 

Gentlemen,  —  I  have  taken  in  to  live  with  me  Jacob  Puffer, 
who  came  from  Sudbury,  and,  by  what  I  can  learn,  a  man  of  good 
estate ;  and  he  came  to  this  town  April  the  11th ;  and  I  have  taken 
him  into  my  house  to  reside.  Yours,  &c.,         Abel  Hunt. 

Mat  11,  1764. 


159 


To  the  Selectmen  of  Templetoii. 

Gentlemen,  —  I  have  taken  into  my  house,  the  twenty-seeond 

or  the  twenty-third  day  of  November,  James  B ,  and  INIaiy  or 

Molly  his  wife,  and  Betty  their  child,  who  came  from  Marlborough  ; 
and,  whether  rich  or  not,  I  can't  tell. 

From  your  humble  servant,  John  Richardson. 

Nov.  28,  1764. 

To  the  Selectmen  of  Templeton. 

Gentlemen,  —  This  may  inform  you  that  I  have  taken  in,  to 

dwell  in  my  house,  William  B ,  and  Sarah  his  wife.     The  said 

William  was  born  in  Littleton,  but  came  last  from  Stow.  Said 
Sarah  was  born  in  Acton,  and  came  directly  from  that  place,  and  is 
daughter  of  Capt.  Daniel  F ,  of  said  Acton  ;  their  circum- 
stances being  small,  they  just  beginning  to  set  up  house-keeping. 
And  also   I  have  taken    into  my  house,  as   an   hired   maid,  one 

Abigail  F ,  daughter  of  Benjamin  F ,  of  Concord  :  she  came 

directly  from  her  father's  house.  I  received  all  the  above-named 
persons  into  my  house  this  day,  being  June  the  7th,  1769. 

Charles  Baker. 


The  following  is  a  copy  of  one  of  the  warrants  used,  in 
1765,  for  "  warning  out  "  residents.  The  original  spelling 
and  grammar  are  preserved  :  — 

Worcester,  ss.  Templeton  Aprel  ye  25  —  1765.  —  To  Abra- 
ham Sawyer  one  of  the  Constables  of  Templeton  ;  Greeting  —  you 
are  Required  in  his  majisties  Name  forthwith  to  Warn  out  the  Per- 
sons here  after  mentioned,  James  B and  his  Wife  Mary  and 

Molley  their  Daughter  Last  from  Marlborough  —  the  Selectmen 
of  the  town  Refuse  to  accept  you  for  Inhabitants  in  S'^  Town,  and 
you  are  not  to  abide  any  longer  —  and  you  are  forthwith  to  make 
Return  of  this  Warrent  With  your  Doings  unto  Sum  one  of  the 
Selectmen. 

Jason  Whitney, 
Joshua  Church, 
Samuel  Sawyer, 
Jonathan  Holman, 


Selectmen 

of 
Templeton. 


Worcester,  ss.     May  9.  —  By  Virtue  of  this  Warrent  I  have 
Done  as  Within  ordered.  Abraham  Sawyer, 

Constable. 


160 


For  the  first  forty  or  fifty  years  after  the  mcorporation  of 
the  town,  the  expenses  for  the  support  of  the  poor  were 
very  moderate.  The  records  indicate  that  they  were  kindly 
treated,  and  that  cases  demanding  relief  were  met  in  a 
good  spirit.  In  1764,  the  town  voted  to  hire  for  a  year, 
of  Mr.  Joshua  Church,  "  his  old  house  for  a  work-house  " 
(probably  built  of  logs),  and  to  pay  him  thirteen  shillings 
and  fourpence  rent.  In  1777,  the  town  voted  to  build  a 
house  on  the  Common  for  the  paupers,  one  story  high, 
eighteen  feet  by  thirty-six  ;  but  I  find  no  traces,  in  the 
Treasurer's  books  or  elsewhere,  of  this  house  having  ever 
been  actually  built. 

At  that  period,  the  paupers  were  usually  supplied  at  their 
own  abodes  with  so  much  as  was  necessary,  or  were  boarded 
out  by  the  Selectmen,  often  among  their  friends.  In  1796, 
it  was  voted  that  the  support  of  the  poor  should  be  let  out 
at  auction,  with  the  express  provision  "  that  they  be  civilly 
and  kindly  treated."  In  1815,  the  Selectmen  were  directed 
to  let  out  the  supporting  of  the  poor  that  year  by  private 
contract.  In  1817,  the  town  voted  not  to  build  a  poor- 
house  ;  and  they  were  let  out,  "  in  lots,"  "  to  the  lowest 
bidder:"  the  overseers,  however,  to  bind  out  such  minors 
as  were  of  suitable  age.  In  1818,  they  were  let  out  at 
auction,  apparently  all  together.  During  many  years,  the 
method  of  their  support  was  left  to  the  discretion  of 
the  Selectmen.  Thirty  years  ago,  the  subject  of  providing 
an  alms-house  for  their  permanent  abode  was  discussed.  A 
Committee  of  the  town  reported  then,  that  a  poor-house 
for  this  town  would  increase  the  expense ;  and  recommend- 
ed the  town  to  unite,  if  practicable,  with  Phillipston,  Athol, 
Eoyalston,  and  Winchendon,  to  purchase  one  large  farm, 
and  erect  buildings  for  all  the  poor  of  those  towns.  But, 
in  1827,  the  town  agreed  to  purchase  the  farm  that  was 
owned  by  Moses  Wright,  Esq.,  then  lately  deceased,  and  to 
occupy  it  for  the  abode  and  svipport  of  the  poor.  The  plan 
worked  favorably.  The  establishment  was  superintended, 
for  the  first  nine  years,  by  Mr.  Roper ;  and  the  Selectmen 


161 


reported  that  it  had  given  great  satisfaction,  and  hecn  well 
managed.  In  1837,  the  Selectmen  were  authorized  to  l)uild 
an  addition  to  the  house.  In  1844,  the  pine-timber  on  the 
farm  was  sold  for  about  three  thousand  dollars.  During 
the  last  twenty  years,  it  has  been  superintended  by  several 
persons  in  succession  ;  and  the  inmates  are,  and  have  con- 
stantly been,  made  thoroughly  comfortable,  and  amply  pro- 
vided for,  at  a  very  moderate  expense  to  the  town.  The 
number  of  paupers  is  now  smaller  than  for  many  years 
previous.  According  to  the  last  report  of  the  Selectmen, 
the  whole  number  whose  support  is  at  the  cost  of  the  town, 
both  in  and  out  of  the  poor-house,  is  only  five. 


PETITION  TO  THE    SELECTMEN. 

The  following  petition  serves  to  illustrate  the  feeling  of 
the  first  generation  of  settlers  here  respecting  habits  of  in- 
temperance and  dissipation,  and  the  methods  to  which  they 
resorted  to  check  it.  It  is  copied  verbatim  from  the 
original :  — 

To  the  Selectmen  of  the  Town  of  Templeton. 

Gentlemen,  —  We  the  subscribers  Humbly  Show  that  Mr. 


was  out  from  home  about  three  weeks  in  the  fore  part  of  the  Last 
winter,  a  spending  his  time  and  money  by  Drinking  and  Tippling, 
from  house  to  house  and  Town  to  Town  —  and  now  lie  has  took 
another  voyage  on  the  same  arrand  and  has  bin  gone  from  home  a 
month  or  More,  and  his  family  a  suffering  at  home  —  We  pray  you 
forthwith,  to  take  speedy  Care  of  him  by  Posting  him  aa  the  Law 
directs,  or  by  Taking  some  good  Custom  to  prevent  him  from  spend- 
ing his  Estate  so  that  his  Family  may  have  a  comfortable  su])port 
and  not  to  become  a  Town  Charge  —  And  in  so  doing  you  will  Much 
oblig,  Yours  &c.  &c. 

[Signed  by  thirty  persons.] 
Templeton,  March  23,  1778. 


21 


162 


"  WOLF   ACT."  —  BOUNTIES   FOR   CROWS   AND   HAWKS. 

April  7,  1783,  the  town  voted  to  give  a  bounty  of  forty 
shillings  for  each  grown  wolf's  head,  and  chose  a  Committee, 
who  reported  the  following  rules,  which  were  adopted :  — 

Enacted  that  any  person,  who  is  an  inhabitant  of  the  town  of 
Templeton,  shall  receive  forty  shillings  out  of  the  treasury  of 
said  Templeton  for  each  wolf  he  or  they  shall  kill  Avithin  fifty  miles 
of  this  place ;  and,  in  order  to  entitle  any  persons  to  the  aforesaid 
bounty,  he  or  they  shall  produce  the  skin  into  the  presence  of  the 
Selectmen  of  the  town,  wliose  duty  it  shall  be  to  cut  tKe  ears  off  of 
said  skin,  and  give  the  said  person  that  killed  the  wolf  an  order  on 
the  Town  Treasurer  for  the  aforesaid  forty  shillings :  provided 
always,  that  the  person  so  presenting  a  skin  as  aforesaid  shall 
take  his  oath  (if  required)  that  he  killed  the  wolf  within  the  limits 
aforesaid,  and  that  he  was  killed  after  the  7th  of  this  instant  (April, 
1783).  Be  it  further  enacted,  that  every  person  shall  receive 
twenty  shillings,  in  the  manner  aforesaid,  for  each  wolfs  pup ;  the 
Selectmen  to  be  judges  which  are  pups,  and  which  not.  And,  if 
any  person  is  sworn,  it  shall  be  in  the  presence  of  the  Selectmen. 
This  Act  to  be  in  force  one  year,  and  no  more.  • 

This  offer  of  bounty,  or  "  Wolf  Act,"  as  the  town  called 
it,  was  renewed  on  the  same  conditions,  for  one  year  longer, 
in  1784,  and  so  also  in  1785  and  1786.  Capt.  Gardner 
Maynard  was  paid  forty  shillings  for  a  wolf  killed  by  him 
in  1783.  Bears  were  occasionally  killed  in  the  township  in 
early  times. 

In  1797,  the  town  offered  a  bounty  of  thirty-four  cents 
for  each  old  crow's  head,  and  seventeen  cents  for  young 
ones,  if  killed  from  April  1  to  July  1.  A  bounty  on  crows 
was  offered  several  other  years :  the  last  was  in  1834.  In 
1801  and  1802,  a  bounty  of  twenty-five  cents  and  twelve 
and  a  half  cents  was  offered  for  the  heads  of  old  and  young 
hen-hawks.  The  heads  of  the  crows  and  haAvks  were  to  be 
carried  to  the  Selectmen,  and  tliey  were  to  order  the  pay. 


163 


WARNING  TOWN-MEETINGS. 


Town-meetings  seem  to  have  been,  at  first,  warned  by 
personal  notice  to  each  voter.  For  instance,  the  constal^le's 
return  upon  the  warrant  for  the  third  town-meeting  held 
here  says,  "  In  obedience  to  the  above  warrant,  I  have 
warned  all  that  I  suppose  to  be  the  votable  inhabitants  of 
said  town  to  meet  at  the  time  and  place  above  mentioned." 

As  early  as  1764,  the  practice  was  adopted  for  the  Select- 
men to  issue  two  warrants,  duplicates,  for  each  meeting, — 
one  directed  to  the  constable  for  the  east  side  of  the  town, 
the  other  to  the  constable  for  the  west  side,  each  to  warn  their 
own  part  of  the  town.  These  duplicate  warrants  were  botli 
copied  into  the  records,  with  the  return  upon  them,  as  long 
as  both  parts  of  the  town  remained  together.  The  earliest 
intimation  that  I  find  of  warning  meetings  by  posting  copies 
of  the  warrants  is  in  1769,  when  the  town  voted,  "  that 
posting  a  copy  of  the  warrant  on  a  post  erected  for  that  pur- 
pose shall  be  a  sufficient  warning  for  the  east  side  ;  "  and, 
for  the  west  side,  it  shall  be  sufficient  "  to  post  a  copy  at  the 
house  of  Charles  Baker:  "  to  be  done  fourteen  days  before 
the  time  of  meeting. 


TOWN-HOUSES. 

The  town-meetings,  from  the  first,  were  held  in  the  old 
meeting-house,  and  as  long  as  that  stood.  The  town- 
officers  frequently,  or  generally,  met  at  Landlord  Wright's 
tavern.  In  1811,  when  the  new  meeting-house  had  been 
erected,  it  was  voted  to  sell  the  old  meeting-house,  and 
apply  the  proceeds  to  build  a  town-house.  A  Committee 
was  appointed  with  full  powers  to  act  at  their  discretion  for 
procuring  a  town-house.  One  was  built,  using  the  timbers 
of  the  first  meeting-house,  and  finished  in  the  summer  of 


164 


1812.  It  stood  on  the  present  site  of  Mrs.  Newton's  dwell- 
ing-house. In  1844,  School  District  No.  1  being  about  to 
build  a  schoolhouse,  the  town  united  with  the  district,  and 
erected  the  present  brick  building,  under  certain  specified 
conditions  as  to  the  joint  ownership  and  repairs  by  the  town 
and  district.  The  new  Town  Hall  cost  the  town  somewhat 
over  two  thousand  dollars.  In  1846,  the  town  authorized 
the  sale  of  the  old  Town  House,  with  the  land  under  and 
adjoining  it. 


PAYMENT  OF  ACCOUNTS   AGAINST  THE  TOWN. 

It  was  customary  for  more  than  forty  years  after  the 
incorporation  of  the  town,  as  it  always  had  been  at  meetings 
of  the  proprietors,  to  have  all  accounts,  presented  by  indi- 
viduals against  the  town,  laid  before  the  town  in  detail,  and 
accepted,  each  by  special  vote,  before  the  Selectmen  should 
pay  them.  The  practice  began  to  be  changed  in  1808. 
That  year,  the  Selectmen  were  made  a  Committee  to  allow 
accounts,  except  their  own  (which  were  still  to  be  laid 
before  the  town).  A  similar  vote  was  passed  in  1811  and 
in  1813,  and  afterwards  annually  for  a  number  of  years, 
till  it  became  the  settled  practice,  which  continues  to  the 
present  time,  to  leave  it  to  the  Selectmen,  in  all  ordinary 
cases,  to  adjust  and  make  payment  of  claims  against  the 
town. 


TREATY  WITH   GREAT  BRITAIN. 

At  that  critical  period  of  American  history,  near  the  close 
of  Washington's  administration,  when  the  question  was 
before  Congress  as  to  carrying  into  effect  the  treaty  with 
Great  Britain  negotiated  by  John  Jay,  with  the  discussion 


165 


of  which  the  eloquence  of  Fisher  Ames  will  alv/ays  be 
associated,  the  town  of  Boston  sent  a  circular  letter  to  tlic 
interior  towns,  containing  the  draft  of  a  memorial  to  Con- 
gress in  favor  of  the  treaty,  and  recommending  the  towns 
to  adopt  it.  The  occasion  was  justly  viewed  as  a  very 
important  one.  Rev.  Mr.  Sparhawk,  on  Sunday,  May  8, 
1796,  requested  the  male  inhabitants  of  Templeton  to  as- 
semble the  next  day  to  express  their  minds  on  the  subject. 
The  meeting  voted  to  adopt  "  the  memorial  from  Boston, 
and  sign  the  same,"  and  directed  Col.  Silas  Hazeltine  and 
Mr.  Thomas  Fisher  to  write  the  names  of  such  as  should  per- 
sonally request  it.  One  hundred  and  eighty  persons  ordered 
their  names  to  be  set  to  the  memorial ;  and  it  was  "  voted 
that  the  Selectmen,  with  the  Moderator  and  Town  Clerk, 
shall  certify  that  every  person  whose  name  is  set  to  it  was 
present,  and  ordered  it  to  be  done ;  and  also  to  certify  that 
the  inhabitants  were  perfectly  united,  and  that  there  was 
not  a  single  dissentient." 

It  may  be  considered  as  a  further  index  of  the  spirit  of 
the  inhabitants,  that  at  a  special  meeting  for  the  purpose, 
on  the  8th  of  July,  1794,  when  there  were  some  apprehen- 
sions of  war,  the  town  voted  that  each  soldier  who  sliould 
voluntarily  enlist  into  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
agreeably  to  the  act  of  Congress  of  May  9,  should  have  his 
pay  made  up  by  the  town  to  forty  shillings  a  month,  ''  in 
case  they  shall  be  called  into  actual  service,  and  that  the 
government  should  not  make  up  their  pay  to  that  amount 
within  one  year  of  the  expiration  of  their  enlistment." 


SECOND   WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 

A  considerable  number  of  persons  from  the  militia  of  this 
town  were  called  into  service  during  the  war  of  1812-15, 
mostly  for  short  periods,  and  to  guard  the  forts  in  Boston 


166 


Harbor  and  on  other  parts  of  the  New-England  sea-coast. 
I  have  not  found  any  records  of  the  names  of  the  men. 
During  the  embargo  which  preceded  the  war,  the  town 
voted,  in  1808,  to  petition  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  suspend  the  embargo,  in  whole  or  in  part,  and 
appointed  a  Committee  to  draw  up  a  memorial.  In  1809, 
the  town  voted  to  petition  the  Legislature  of  the  Common- 
wealth, praying  them  "  to  petition  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States  to  relieve  them  from  the  embarrassments 
which  they  severely  experience  from  the  Embargo  Law." 
The  same  year,  the  town  voted  "  to  provide,  and  keep  con- 
stantly under  the  control  of  the  Selectmen,  powder,  balls, 
and  flints,  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  soldiers  in  this 
town." 

When  the  war  was  declared,  in  1812,  the  town  voted  to 
present  a  memorial  to  the  President  against  the  war,  and  for 
the  restoration  of  peace.  A  Committee,  consisting  of  Rev. 
Elisha  Andrews,  Rev.  Charles  Wellington,  Lovell  AValker, 
Esq.,  Samuel  Cutting,  Esq.,  John  W.  Stiles,  Leonard  Stone, 
and  Deacon  Paul  Kendall,  reported  a  very  elaborate  memo- 
rial, entering  largely  into  argument  upon  the  subject.  It 
covers  twelve  pages  in  the  Town  Records,  and  was  adopted 
by  a  vote  of  eighty-six  to  twenty-two.  The  memorial  was 
the  composition  of  Mr.  Stiles,  who  was  then  a  merchant  in 
this  town,  —  a  man  of  great  vigor  and  mental  ability. 


CANAL  AND   RAILROADS. 

Great  attention  was  always  given  in  this  town  to  im- 
provement of  roads  ;  and  the  public-spirited  citizens  early 
perceived  the  importance  of  some  more  feasible  modes  of 
communication  than  the  common  highways  or  turnpikes. 
Before  railroads  had  been  introduced  or  thought  practi- 
cable, a  plan  was  started  for  a  canal  from  Boston  to  the 
Hudson  River.     Surveys  were  made,  both  in  the  northern 


167 


and  southern  portions  of  the  State,  to  find  a  practicable 
route,  especially  by  Loanimi  Baldwin,  Esq.,  an  engineer  of 
high  reputation.  In  1825,  this  town  chose  a  Committee,  con- 
sisting of  Col.  Ephraim  Stone,  Col.  Leonard  Stone,  Joshua 
Kichardson,  Esq.,  Col.  Artemas  Lee,  and  Capt.  Eden  Bald- 
win, w^ith  directions  "  to  examine  a  route  for  a  canal  throuiili 
Templeton,  and  to  wait  upon  the  Canal  Commissioners  when 
they  pass  through  this  part  of  the  country." 

But  it  was  soon  found  that  railroads  are  far  better  adapted 
to  New  England  than  canals  ;  and,  from  the  first,  this  town 
has  acted  with  great  vigor  and  earnestness  to  secure  facili- 
ties of  transport  in  this  manner.  Before  the  Fitchburg 
Railroad  had  been  projected,  the  town,  in  1835,  raised 
money,  and  appointed  a  Committee  to  act  in  favor  of  a 
railroad  from  Worcester  to  Keene,  N.H.,  through  this  town. 
In  1844,  the  town  passed  resolves  in  favor  of  the  location  of 
the  Yermont  and  Massachusetts  Railroad,  and  chose  a 
Committee  to  act  in  its  favor.  After  the  road  had  been 
chartered,  and  its  location  determined  to  pass  through 
Templeton,  those  wiio  had  control  of  the  corporation  under- 
took to  alter  it  so  as  to  pass  through  Winchendon,  and 
leave  this  town  at  a  distance  from  railroad  facilities.  This 
was  strenuously  opposed,  both  by  individuals,  who  contri- 
buted largely  of  their  time  and  money,  and  by  the  town 
in  its  corporate  capacity,  which  appropriated  funds  and 
appointed  committees  to  resist  the  change.  Surveyors 
were  employed,  counsel  retained,  and  long  trials  had,  both 
before  the  County  Commissioners  of  Worcester  and  before 
committees  of  the  Legislature.  The  Committee  to  whom 
it  was  intrusted  by  the  town  consisted  of  Col.  Artemas  Lee, 
Capt.  Joseph  Davis,  Joseph  Mason,  Esq.,  Oilman  Day,  Esq., 
and  Col.  Leonard  Stone. 

The  County  Commissioners,  after  a  long  hearing  of  evi- 
dence at  Bald  win  ville  in  1845,  had  decided  against  changing 
the  location  of  the  railroad  from  Templeton.  The  company, 
however,  again  petitioned  the  Legislature  for  leave  to  alter 
the  location.      In  November,  1845,  the  town  passed  some 


168 


very  spirited  resolves  on  the  subject,  setting  forth  the  case 
in  forcible  language  and  at  considerable  length.  In  1846, 
the  Committee  of  the  town  were  directed  to  oppose,  be- 
fore the  Legislature,  the  petition  of  the  railroad  company, 
and  to  employ  counsel.  The  final  result  was,  that  the 
General  Court  refused  to  change  the  location ;  and  the  road 
was  built  here.  Passenger-cars  passed  through  this  town, 
for  the  first  time,  in  1847.  The  stock  in  the  Vermont  and 
Massachusetts  Railroad  has  not  been  profitable ;  but  the 
accommodation  to  the  town  and  benefit  to  its  business  have 
been  very  great,  and  perhaps  may,  at  a  future  time,  become 
greater  than  now. 

In  1847,  the  town  authorized  a  Committee  to  advocate 
the  petition  of  David  Henshaw  and  others  for  a  charter  for 
a  railroad  from  Worcester  to  Keene.  Similar  action  was 
taken,  in  1848  and  1851,  in  favor  of  contemplated  routes 
for  roads  leading  across  the  county  to  connect  with  the 
Boston  and  Worcester  and  the  Western  railroads.  But  these 
enterprises  have  not  as  yet  been  carried  into  effect. 


COUNTY-RELATIONS. 

The  county  of  Worcester  contains  fifty-eight  towns.  Tem- 
pleton  stands  at  very  nearly  the  average  of  the  towns  in 
the  county,  in  respect  to  both  population  and  valuation. 
At  tlie  time  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  Templeton  (then 
including  most  of  Phillipston)  paid  about  one  dollar  in  sixty- 
six  of  the  tax  levied  by  the  county.  The  portion  of  terri- 
tory remaining  to  Templeton  has  increased,  as  to  valuation, 
more  rapidly  than  the  average  of  the  county :  for  the  town 
now  pays  one  dollar  in  sixty-three  of  the  county-tax  ;  and 
Phillipston  pays,  besides,  one  dollar  in  a  hundred  and  fifty. 

The  project  of  separating  the  north  part  of  Worcester 
County  to  form  a  new  county,  with  the  addition  of  other 


169 


towns  out  of  the  county,  lying  ciithcr  to  the  west  or  to  the 
east,  lias  been  discussed,  at  vai-ious  periods,  for  almost  a 
hundred  years.  The  idea  was  sometimes  entertained,  that, 
in  the  event  of  a  new  county,  Templcton  would  be  the 
shire-town.  Petersham  was  sometimes  proposed.  A  great 
many  conventions  have  been  held  in  this  region,  and  town- 
action  often  taken  on  the  subject,  from  the  period  of  the 
Kevolution  till  now.  At  one  of  the  earliest  town-meetings 
held  after  the  incorporation  of  Templcton,  —  viz.,  Aug.  9, 
1763,  —  Joshua  Willard,  Esq.,  was  chosen  an  agent,  in 
behalf  of  Templeton,  to  act  "  at  the  Great  and  General 
Court  concerning  a  new  county." 

In  1781,  the  town  acted  upon  a  letter  from  the  town  of 
Warwick  respecting  a  new  county,  and  appointed  a  delegate 
to  a  convention  at  Petersham,  but  with  instructions  not  to 
join  in  the  petition,  unless  the  towns  of  Westminster,  Ash- 
burnham,  Fitchburg,  Ashby,  Lunenburg,  and  Leominster 
should  be  included.  In  1784,  Charles  Baker  was  chosen 
an  agent  to  act  for  a  division  of  Worcester  into  two 
counties.  But  the  opinions  of  the  majority  of  the  town 
varied  ;  for,  the  next  year,  they  refused  to  send  a  member 
to  a  convention  on  the  subject  at  Petersham.  Not  long- 
after,  a  Committee  was  chosen  to  act  in  the  matter,  but  was 
dismissed  in  a  few  months.  In  1791,  the  town,  at  first,  sent 
delegates  to  a  convention  called  at  Petersham,  concerning 
a  new  county  ;  but,  in  August  of  the  same  year,  "  the  town, 
by  vote,  signified  their  disapprobation  of  a  new  county." 
In  1792,  an  effort  was  made  to  unite,  for  county-purposes, 
nineteen  towns ;  of  which  Ashburnham  was  the  most  east- 
erly, and  Pelham  and  Shutesbury  the  most  westerly.  But 
the  town  voted  "  that  its  agent  should  not  sign  said  peti- 
tion." In  1794,  there  was  anotlier  similar  refusal.  In 
1796,  the  plan  of  building  a  new  court-house  at  Worcester 
was  entertained.  The  people  feared  the  expense,  and  re- 
monstrated against  it,  assigning  three  general  grounds  : 
first,  that  the  county  of  Worcester  was  too  large,  and,  if 
divided,    the    existing    court-house    would    be    sufficient ; 

22 


170 


second,  that,  if  not  divided,  the  court-house  ought  to  be 
nearer  the  centre ;  third,  that  it  was  a  bad  time  to  build, 
materials  and  labor  being  so  high.  The  last  difficulty,  we 
may  believe,  has  not  been  remedied  during  the  whole  sixty 
years  from  that  day  to  this. 

The  town  accordingly,  for  several  years,  favored  a  divi- 
sion. In  1798,  they  voted  for  it  eighty-four  to  one.  The 
efforts  did  not  succeed,  and  the  subject  was  dropped  for  a 
time.  It  was  renewed  in  1810,  when  a  convention  was 
called  to  meet  in  this  town  on  the  matter ;  and  a  petition 
on  behalf  of  the  town,  for  a  division,  was  forwarded  to  the 
Legislature.  But  in  1828,  on  the  question  of  a  new  county, 
according  to  the  petition  of  Ivers  Jewett  and  others,  to  be 
composed  of  sixteen  towns  in  Worcester  and  five  in  Middle- 
sex, the  vote  of  the  town  was  —  yeas,  four  ;  nays,  a  hundred 
and  twenty-six.  During  the  efforts  made  from  1851  to 
1855  in  behalf  of  a  new  county,  the  town,  though  not  with 
such  unanimity  as  in  1828,  constantly  remonstrated  against 
the  measure,  and  repeatedly  chose  Col.  Artemas  Lee  a  Com- 
mittee to  join  with  Committees  of  other  towns  to  oppose 
the  project.  These  latter  movements  contemplated  mak- 
ing Fitchburg  the  shire-town.  The  petitions  were  not 
granted  by  the  Legislature.  But  at  length,  in  1856,  Fitch- 
burg was  made  a  "  half-shire "  by  establishing  there  two 
civil  terms  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  the  county  of 
Worcester  each  year,  —  viz.,  on  the  first  Monday  of  Febru- 
ary and  the  fourth  Monday  of  October,  —  and  one  criminal 
term  each  year  on  the  first  Monday  of  June. 


JEHU  RICHARDSON  FUND  AND  MASONIC  FUND. 

In  1827,  the  town  voted  to  accept  a  charity-fund  be- 
queathed by  Jehu  Richardson,  of  this  town,  for  the  benefit 
of  unmarried  females,  of  good  character,  in  indigent  circum- 


171 


stances.  In  1843,  the  Masonic  Lodge,  when  dissolved,  gave 
its  funds  to  the  town,  in  trust,  for  the  relief  of  the  indigent, 
with  stipulations  as  to  the  annual  increase  of  the  fund  very- 
similar  to  some  made  in  Mr.  Richardson's  will.  These 
provisions  appear  in  the  following  report  made  to  the  town 
by  the  Committee  of  the  Lodge  :  — 

The  undersigned,  a  Committee  chosen  by  the  members  of  Harris 
Lodge,  resident  in  Templeton,  to  present  to  the  town  that  portion 
of  the  funds  of  said  lodge  belonging  to  them,  to  be  held  by  tlie  town 
in  trust,  the  income  of  which  to  be  appropriated  to  charitable  pur- 
poses, beg  leave  to  report :  — 

That  whereas  the  institution  of  Masonry  was  originally  designed 
for  laudable  purposes  and  ends,  —  among  which,  as  a  cardinal  virtue, 
was  that  of  charity ;  and  whereas  the  designs  of  this  institution,  like 
other  human  institutions,  have  been  perverted,  and  its  character 
thereby  prejudiced,  and  in  consequence  thereof,  and  from  the  his- 
tory of  events,  it  has  been  deemed  expedient  by  the  membei-s  of 
the  Harris  Lodge,  in  obedience  to  public  sentiment  and  the  laws,  to 
dissolve  said  lodge ;  and  whereas,  upon  its  dissolution,  there  was  a 
fund  which  fell  to  the  members  of  Templeton,  amounting  to  four 
hundred  dollars,  —  therefore,  to  the  end  that  the  objects  and  designs 
of  the  institution,  and  especially  the  aforesaid  fund,  shall  not  be 
perverted  and  misapplied,  but  that  the  integrity  of  the  lodge  should 
be  kept,  and  the  fund  perpetuated  by  them,  the  members  of  the 
fraternity,  by  their  Committee,  propose  to  dei)osIt  said  fund  in 
the  hands  of  the  town,  to  be  held  in  trust,  and  to  be  called  the 
Masonic  Fund,  and  upon  the  following  conditions :  — 

That  the  tow^n  annually,  at  their  March  or  April  meeting,  choose 
three  Trustees,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  see  that  the  fund  is  safely 
invested  upon  good  security  on  interest  annually,  payable  to  the 
Treasurer  of  the  town ;  or,  in  the  event  the  town  siiould  appropriate 
the  fund  to  its  own  use,  the  town  to  give  an  obligation  payable 
to  the  Trustees  as  aforesaid,  and  in  such  form  as  will  designate  the 
name  of  the  fund.  One  per  cent  of  this  interest  shall  be  annually 
added  to  the  principal ;  and  the  residue  of  the  income  arising  there- 
from said  Trustees  shall  pay  out  annually  to  such  needy  and  destitute 
persons  belonging  to  the  tow^n  as  they  may  think  the  most  worthy 
and  deserving  of  the  same,  with  special  regard  to  their  merits ;  and 
the  said  Trustees  shall  report  annually  in  writing,  at  the  Mai-ch  or 
April  meeting,  their  doings  and  the  state  of  the  fund,  and  before  a 
new  choice  of  Trustees  is  made. 

EpHRAIM    Stone,   ">  committee 

Leonard   Stone,  >-       of 

AlJTEMAS    Lee,        )  the  Lodge, 
Templeton,  April  3, 1843r 


172 


The  town  annually  elects  Trustees  of  the  Masonic  Fund, 
and  also  of  the  Richardson  Fund.  The  capital  of  both  is,  at 
present,  loaned  to  the  town,  and  interest  paid  annually, 
with  addition  of  the  one  per  cent  to  the  principal.  The 
amount  of  the  Richardson  Fund  is  a  little  over  seven  hun- 
dred dollars  ;  of  tlie  Masonic,  about  four  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars. 


DONATION,  BY  DR.  SHATTUCK,  OF  SHARES  IN  THE  BOSTON 

ATHEN^UM. 

In  1854,  Dr.  George  C.  Shattuck,  of  Boston,  since  de- 
ceased, gave  five  shares  in  the  Boston  AthenaBum  to  the 
town  of  Templeton,  in  token  of  his  affection  for  the  place 
of  his  birth.  These  shares  are  to  be  perpetually  held  in 
trust  for  the  following  purposes,  as  expressed  by  the  donor : 
"  That  the  Selectmen  of  the  town,  for  the  time  being,  shall 
permit  the  use  of  the  five  shares,  from  year  to  year,  by  any 
one  five  persons  resident  in  said  town,  to  be  selected  by 
them  from  the  classes  of  clergymen,  physicians,  lawyers, 
teachers,  and  scientific  farmers  and  mechanics  ;  it  being  un- 
derstood that  the  said  shares  themselves  are  to  be  for  ever 
inalienable."  In  addition  to  the  cost  of  the  shares  (three 
hundred  dollars  each).  Dr.  Shattuck  anticipated  the  annual 
assessment  of  five  dollars  a  share  by  paying  a  hundred 
dollars  in  advance,  additional,  on  each  ;  thus  securing  the 
perpetual  privilege  of  taking  out  books,  on  the  shares,  from 
the  excellent  library  of  the  institution, 

The  town,  on  the  reception  of  this  donation,  passed  a  vote 
of  thanks  to  Dr.  Shattuck,  in  acknowledgment  of  "  their 
grateful  appreciation  of  his  munificence  in  conferring  this 
franchise  upon  the  town  which  has  the  honor  of  numbering 
him  among  her  most  distinguished  and  useful  sons."      A 


173 


similar  donation  was  made  by  him  to  the  town  of  Litth:;ton, 
the  birthplace  of  his  father. 

Dr.  Shattuck  was  an  eminent  physician  in  Boston,  where 
he  practised  from  1807  till  his  death  in  1854.  He  was 
graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in  1803 ;  was  possessed  of 
much  wealth  ;  and  was  distinguished  for  his  benefactions 
to  the  needy.  He  gave  liberally  to  Dartmouth  College 
and  to  Harvard  College,  and  to  various  public  institutions, 
both  in  his  lifetime  and  by  his  will. 

A  discourse  has  been  printed,  preached  on  the  occasion 
of  his  death  by  Rev.  Mr.  Bartol,  minister  of  the  West 
Church  in  Boston,  where  Dr.  Shattuck  was  a  communicant. 
He  was  son  of  Dr.  Benjamin  Shattuck,  who  was  born  in 
Littleton,  and  was  grandson  of  the  first  minister  of  that 
town.  Dr.  Benjamin  Shattuck  (H.  U.  1765)  studied  medi- 
cine with  Dr.  Prescott,  of  Groton.  He  came  to  Temple- 
ton,  by  invitation  of  the  people  of  the  town,  about  1769, 
and  continued  in  active  practice  here  till  his  death  in 
1794.  He  was  a  warm  and  intimate  friend  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Sparhawk,  of  whose  church  he  was  a  member.  A  discourse 
preached  at  his  funeral,  by  Mr.  Sparhawk,  was  published 
at  the  time. 


POPULATION. 

The   number   of  inhabitants   in   Templeton,   at  various 
periods,  has  been  as  follows  :  — 

In  1765  (including  the  territory  in  Phillipston),  it  was  .  .348 
In  1790  (after  the  separation  of  Phillipston)     ....  950 

In  1801 1,068 

In  1811 l,-205 

In  1821 1,331 

In  1831 1,552 

In  1840 1,776 

In  1850 2,173 

In  1855 2,618 


174 


VALUATION. 


The  successive  State-valuations  have  been  as  follows. 
The  first  four  were  computed  on  a  reduced  scale  of  six  per 
cent  of  the  estimated  value  :  — 

1790 £1,944.  17s.  lid. 

1801 $8,593.52 

1811 10,444.93 

1821 13,294.55 

1831 378,358.00 

1840 581,845.00 

1850 877,725.00 

In  1856,  the  Assessors'  inventory  of  property  taxable  in 
this  town  was  11,026,283:  namely,  real  estate,  ^592,676; 
personal  estate,  $433,607.  The  number  of  polls  taxed  was 
seven  hundred  and  fifty. 


MANUFACTURES   AND   PRODUCTIONS. 

The  Assessors  of  each  town,  in  the  year  1855,  were 
directed  to  return  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth 
the  statistics  of  the  various  branches  of  industry  for  that 
year.  The  following  are  some  of  the  most  important  items 
reported  by  the  Assessors  of  Templeton  :  — 

Cassimere.  —  7  sets  of  machinery;  275,000  pounds  of  wool  con- 
sumed ;  220,000  yards  of  cloth  manufactured  ;  value,  $198,000. 
Persons  employed,  —  males,  85  ;  females,  45. 

Iron-castings.  —  300  tons  ;  value  produced,  $24,000 ;  men  em- 
ployed, 15. 

Machinery.  —  Value,  $10,000;  men  employed,  10. 

Tin-ware  manufactured.  —  Value,  $36,000. 

Boots,  34,000  pairs;  shoes,  1,700  pairs.  —  Value  of  boots  and  shoes, 
$46,000  ;  number  of  men  employed,  92. 

Lumber  prepared  for  market.  —  Value,  $18,000. 

Wooden-ware.  —  Value,  $50,000;  persons  employed,  61. 


175 


Chair-seat  frames.  —  Value,  $5,000;  persons  employed,  10. 

Chairs,  including  cabinet  furniture.  —  Value,  $104,900;  males  cm- 
ployed,  139  ;  females  employed,  150. 

Carriages.  —  Value,  $2,000. 

Various  other  articles  manufactured,  included  in  the  returns ;  to 
the  value  of  about  $67,000. 


The  quantity  of  land  in  the  town  occupied  with  the 
various  kinds  of  grain,  and  statistics  of  other  agricultural 
productions,  were  reported  as  follows :  — 


Indian  corn 174  acres 

Wheat 14      „ 

Rye 20      „ 

Barley 106      „ 

Oats 87      „ 


AveraRe  produce 
per  acre. 

.  35  bushels. 

.  16        „ 

.  10        „ 

.  25        „ 

.  30        „ 


Number  of  acres  of  potatoes  (113  bushels  to  acre) 

Number  of  acres  of  English  mowing 

Number  of  tons  of  Enghsh  hay  cut 

Number  of  tons  of  meadow  hay  cut 

Number  of  apple-trees  cultivated  for  their  fruit 

Number  of  oxen  over  three  years  old 

Number  of  steers  under  three  years  old    .... 

Number  of  milch  cows 

Number  of  heifers 

Number  of  horses 


163 

2,239 
1,690 
529 
4,313 
193 
147 
530 
198 
327 


THE   END. 


#: 


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Date  Due 


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